Mafias run Pakistani economy: Dr. Kaiser Bengali

According to Dr. Kaiser Bengali, an eminent economist Pakistani economy is mostly run by mafias, who often join politics and the government to get “legal benefits.”

These mafias enjoy monopoly profits, which they use to further strengthen their political designs.

Dr. Bengali, who remained Advisor to the past governments in Sindh, Balochistan and Centre, while speaking at an online post-budget 2020-21 webinar on Sunday said sugar, wheat flour, fertilizer and paper industries are minting money by availing various subsidies and incentives in the form of tax exemptions. Most of the owners of these industries are either in the government or they are relatives of the ministers.

“You have heard about the sugar scandal and a good thing has happened that an inquiry report has been made public, which exposed how the sugar mafia is looting the national wealth by adopting all “legal procedures.”

Describing further, Dr. Bengali said the sugar mafia provides wrong figures and manipulates the situation for their benefit. First, they export sugar and claim subsidies on exports then create a shortage in the country to raise its prices. These sugar mill owners are mostly politicians, who often make policies for their benefit. Sugar mills are not paying properly costs to sugarcane growers and swindle taxes like FED and GST through manipulation.

Flour mills receive wheat from the government’s procured stocks at subsidised rates. The main aim of this incentive is that they would supply flour at lower rates. In fact, these mills purchase wheat from the open market and then sell flour at higher by mixing the rates. “They put the subsidy on wheat in their pockets and sell flour at higher rates,” he said.

In Pakistan, three paper mills have created a cartel, which has made many publishing houses bankrupt as they sell paper at higher rates. “Now the situation is such that most of the curricular books, even in Urdu are published and imported directly from China and Indonesia as there is no import duty on published books. The paper mafia is so powerful that every year the government announces to change the duty structure, but it always fails to do so.

He said most of the fertilizer manufacturing units are owned by the Military subsidiaries in Pakistan, which receive Sui (natural) gas at very cheaper rates, almost free, and also receive subsidies on the selling of fertilizer to growers.

It is a matter of fact that more than 60 per cent of fertilizer is being used by Punjab, whereas Sindh consumes only 20 per cent. The Sui gas-producing province Balochistan consumes only 4 per cent of the fertilizer, thus most of the subsidy goes to Punjab at the cost of smaller provinces like Balochistan and Sindh that produce the natural gas.

“We have not seen the reverse transfer of the benefit from Punjab to Balochistan,” he said adding that Punjab does not provide any subsidy to Balochistan while supplying wheat the people of Balochistan have to purchase wheat at the market rates.

Watch the entire speech: Click here

Sacrilege of Hindu COVID-19 deceased in Dadu

Sindh’s customary secular and Sufi traditions were shattered when some religious zealots in Dadu city thrashed the body of a deceased Hindu Kewal Ram who died because of Coronavirus when his relatives were performing cremation at Shamshanghat, a dedicated place to perform the last rituals of Hindus.

These Muslim zealots, living in the neighbourhood forcibly entered the walled Shamshanghat and tried to intervene during the last rituals by putting out the fire while throwing buckets of water and desecrating the body.

Dadu was once famous for religious harmony where hundreds of Hindu families still live in a peaceful environment. In recent years, religious fanaticism has increased in Dadu city as well where religious mind Muslims have become intolerant.

According to reports, a group of religious zealots intervened in the cremation of Seth Kewal Ram Rathor, a notable Hindu and trader of Dadu city by asking the relatives not to perform cremation near their homes as the deceased had died of COVID-19. They were fearing the spread of the virus in the neighbourhood.

Click Here to watch the video

The relatives and Hindu notables of the area assured that cremation rituals were being done according to the government Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and there was no chance of the spread of the virus. However, the intruders were insisting to stop the rituals.

Local police were called, which forced the intruders to go out of the Shamshanghat and the final rituals were completed under the supervision of the Police.

According to the FIR, registered on behalf of the state, dozens of people had entered Shamshanghat and threatened the relatives of the deceased to stop the rituals because they were fearing the spread of the virus. Some of them were carrying buckets of water, which they threw on the fire in an attempt to put it out.

A press release, issued by Police department on Thursday stated that Dadu Police have arrested three nominated accused namely Izhar Solangi, Ghulam Hussain Solangi and Mohammad Yousuf Solangi. The FIR registered under Sections of 295A, 186, 296 and 297 Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) has nominated six persons whereas 20-25 others were included in the case.

Economic Survey paints dismal picture of economy

The provisional Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate of Pakistan for FY 2020 is estimated at negative 0.38 per cent on the basis of 2.67, -2.64 and -0.59 per cent growth in agricultural, industrial and services sectors respectively, states the Economic Survey of Pakistan 2019-20 released on Thursday, a day ahead of the presentation of Annual Budget 2020-21 in the National Assembly on Friday.

Presented by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Hafeez Sheikh the Economic Survey document has presented a dismal picture of Pakistan’s economy as most of the economic indicators have gone nose dive.

For example, the negative performance of both Industry and Services has overshadowed the growth in the agriculture sector, which grew by 2.67 per cent. This sector is badly hit by the locust swarms in Sindh and Punjab, the major agriculture provinces.

The economic team of the government has put all the burden of the downward slide of Pakistan’s economic indicators on the overall slowdown due to the lockdown after Coronavirus (COVID-19) in March 2020, although the economy was not performing well even before the start of COVID-19.

The provisional growth in the industrial sector has been estimated at -2.64 per cent mainly due to a negative growth of 8.82 per cent in the mining and quarrying sector and a decline of 7.78 per cent in the large-scale manufacturing sector. Due to the lockdown situation in the country, the growth estimates of the Small-Scale Industry for FY2020 are 1.52 per cent.

Similar to the industrial sector, the services sector of the economy has also witnessed a significant impact of the lockdown situation in the country due to COVID-19, particularly in the Wholesale and Retail Trade and Transport Sectors. The services sector has declined provisionally at 0.59 per cent mainly due to a 3.42 per cent decline in the Wholesale and Retail Trade sector and a 7.13 per cent decline in Transport, Storage and Communication sectors.

The finance and insurance sector, however, witnessed a slight increase of 0.79 per cent. The Housing Services, General Government Services and Other private services have contributed positively at 4.02, 3.92 and 5.39 per cent respectively.

The fiscal deficit has substantially reduced to 4.0 per cent of GDP during July-March, FY2020 against 5.1 per cent of GDP in the comparable period last year. Similarly, a remarkable turnaround is visible in the primary balance, which posted a surplus of Rs 194 billion during July-March, FY2020 against a deficit of Rs 463 billion. Overall, the improvement in the fiscal account is largely attributed to a higher provincial surplus and a sharp rise in non-tax revenues.

The government has retired Rs 736.47 billion to SBP against the borrowing of Rs 3,204.72 billion in last year. On contrary, the Government borrowed Rs 1,760.38 billion from scheduled banks against the retirement of Rs 2,213.85 billion last year.

Exports during July-April, 2019-20 remained at $ 19.7 billion compared to $ 20.1 billion during July-March, 2018-19, posting a decline of 2.4 per cent.

The total imports during July-April FY2020 declined to $ 36.1 billion as compared to $ 40.3 billion same period last year, thus registering a decline of 16.9 per cent.

During Jul-April FY2020, remittances increased to $ 18.8 billion as compared to $ 17.8 billion during the same period last year, with a growth of 5.5 per cent.

During July-March FY2020, the current account deficit (CAD) reduced by 73.1 per cent to US$ 2.8 billion (1.1 per cent of GDP) against US$ 10.3 billion last year (3.7 per cent of GDP). The significant reduction in CAD reflected mainly the impact of macroeconomic stabilization measures taken by the government.

The executive summary of the Economic Survey 2019-20 can be accessed online from the website of the Ministry of Finance. Please Click Here

Unabated use of religion against opponents in Sindh

Sindh has witnessed two recent incidents in which the religious tool of blasphemy law was (mis)used against the opponents.

In the first case, the state on Tuesday filed a blasphemy case against a professor of Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur Sajid Soomro with charges of contempt of Islam as he reportedly took part in the funeral of a Sindhi writer Atta Mohammad Bhanbhro. Prof. Soomro was later arrested by Khairpur police from his home early on Wednesday.

Prof. Sajid Soomro is also a famous writer and a member of Sindhi Abadi Sangat.

Another incident took place in Hyderabad where Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) Fazlur Rehman group started a social media campaign against a leader of Women Action Forum (WAF) Dr. Arfana Mallah alleging that she has done blasphemy by condemning the Blasphemy law. Interestingly this law has been condemned by many, but why JUI-F found it objectionable in the case of Dr. Mallah.

The JUI-F’s local leadership asked the party workers through a Facebook post to gather at a mosque in Bhitai Nagar and from there they will proceed to a police station to lodge an FIR against the women rights activists Prof. Dr. Mallah who is teaching at the University of Sindh, Jamshoro.

Dr. Mallah had played a key role in organising the Aurat March at Sukkur in March this year despite severe opposition by fanatics and religious leaders including provincial leadership of JUI-F. Before the March, the JUI Sindh had threatened to stop the march.

Later, Women Action Forum issued a press release condemning threats to Dr. Arfana Mallah. “We demand that police thwart such nefarious attempts and that this situation is handled in a timely and lawful manner before any damage is caused,” the WAF statement added.

Interestingly both the victims are professors of universities. According to the FIR against Prof. Soomro, the police have included Section 295-A of the Pakistan Penal Code, which pertains to deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage the religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs.

Misuse of the Blasphemy law is quite common in Pakistan as this law, was made stringent by the Military dictator General Ziaul Haq and was misused against the opposition and minority activists. The law has hit vulnerable sections, especially women and minorities. In Sindh last year a couple of serious incidents happened in which people from the Hindu community were made targets.

I don’t know what is the main cause of concern for JUI-F leadership in Sindh this time against Dr. Mallah, but it is a matter of the fact that the religious zealots have always used this law as a tool to gain their nefarious designs.

According to a post by Azam Jahangiri of JUI F on Facebook, Dr. Arfana Mallah uttered derogatory words against the Blasphemy law in her Facebook post while condemning the registration of a case against Prof. Soomro. Therefore, his party under the leadership of Taj Mohammad Nahiyon is determined to lodge a blasphemy case against Dr. Mallah.

RIP Steel Mills

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the federal cabinet on Wednesday announced laying off all the 9,350 remaining employees of the Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) with a golden handshake incentive worth around Rs 20 billion.

Presided over by the Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh the ECC, however, decided to retain about 250 employees for a period of 3 months for the execution of the human resource rationalisation plan and completion of formalities.

This news sent a shock-wave among the workers and trade unions, which have been demanding the release of salaries of workers. They have announced to launch of a movement against the PTI government’s move. The social media is filled with speeches by Prime Minister Imran Khan and Asad Umer who had addressed PSM workers before coming into power. They had pledged to revive the Mills and not to retrench any workers. The social media posts indicate they have done the opposite.

At least two retrenched workers of PSM Ejaz Samoo and Muhammad Yunus Baloch reportedly suffered heart attacks and died due to the shocking news.

At least five trade union leaders of Pakistan Steel including Yaseen Jamro, who is the Chairman of the current Collective Bargaining Agent (CBA) of the PSM (Steel Mills Insaf Union) were arrested while protesting outside the mills on Thursday and were later released by police.

According to the government, each employee would be paid an estimated amount of Rs 2.3 million.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan on March 13, 2020, asked the federal government to lay off all the redundant employees and appoint new people if it wanted to keep PSM running.

Established by former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto with financial and technological support from the former Soviet Union in 1973 the Pakistan Steel Mills was once the largest industrial mega-corporation complex producing steel for industrial purposes. The project was formally launched by former Military dictator General Ziaul Haq on 15 January 1985.

Having a production capacity of 1.1 million tonnes of steel  Pakistan Steel Mills is spread out over an area of 7,550 hectares (18,660 acres) including 4,205 ha (10,390 acres) for the main plant, 3,266 ha (8,070 acres) for the township and 81 ha (200 acres) for the 110 MG water reservoir. In addition, it has leasehold rights over an area of 3,043 ha (7,520 acres) for the quarries of limestone and dolomite in the Makli and Jhimpir areas of the Thatta district. (For further details pl. visit: Pakistan Steel’s History.)

The PSM, which has been facing many crises since the 1990s stopped its commercial operations in June 2015 without formulating any human resource plan for its 14,753 employees which has since come down to 9,350 in 2019.

Despite its non-functional status, the fate of such a large number of employees remained undeclared as they have been demanding their dues since 2015.

During General Pervaiz Musharraf’s era, the federal government tried to privatise it, but the Supreme Court of Pakistan stopped its sale.

I can recall that I wrote a feature in monthly Newsline in its May 2006 issue with the title The Grand Steel Steal, in which I highlighted the military government’s design to sell an important national asset.

Although it was an inevitable decision on part of the government as it is unable to pay huge amounts of salaries to the employees, who are virtually kept redundant due to the non-functioning of the corporation since 2015. The successive governments had failed to revive the Steel Mills, which needed huge capital investment. Once the Sindh Government had shown interest to buy the Mills, but it backed out due to unknown reasons.

کورونا وائرس وبا، ماسک اور ہمارا رویہ

آج گلشن معمار میں بینک گیا. ہفتے کا پہلا دن ہونے کی وجہ سے رش بہت تھا. نمبر لے کر کونے میں بیٹھ گیا۔

دیکھا کہ کچھ لوگوں نے (مجھ سمیت) ماسک پہن رکھے تھے مگر کافی لوگ بغیر ماسک یا سیمی ماسک لگائے ہوئے تھے (مطلب ماسک تو لٹکا ہوا تھا مگر آپس میں بات کرتے ہوئے مونہہ سے ہٹارہے تھے۔).

ایک شخص جب گیٹ سے اندرآیا تو ماسک پہنا ہوا تھا. مگر بیٹھتے ہی ماسک جیب میں ڈال دیا۔ گیٹ کا چوکیدار بغیر ماسک کے اندر آنے نہیں دے رہا تھا۔

پاس میں دو پثھان بغیر ماسک کے ایک ساتھ بیٹھے تھے، ان کے کندھوں پر چادریں تھیں، جن کو مونہہ پر ڈال کر اندر آئے تھے مگر بیٹھتے ہی کپڑا ہٹا دیا. بینک افسر ان کے پاس آیا اور کہا کہ اپنا مونہہ ڈھاپ لیں یا ماسک پہن لیں. کہنے لگے گرمی ہے اور تمہارا اے۔سی بھی ٹھنڈک کم دے رہا ہے اس لیے کپڑا ہٹا دیا ہے. افسر کے اسرار پر بھی انہوں نے اپنا چہرہ کھلا ہی رکھا۔

جس بندے نے ماسک جیب میں ڈالا ہوا تھا اس کو بھی افسرنے پاس آکر کہا کہ ماسک پہن لو، مگر اس نے سنی ان سنی کردی اور ویسے ہی بیٹھا رہا۔ مگر جب اس کا نمبر آیا تو میں نے دیکھا کہ اس نے جیب سے ماسک نکالا اور پہن کر کھڑکی پر گیا۔

بیٹھے بیٹھے میں سوچتا رہا کہ ہماری قوم اس وبا کے پھیل جانے کے باوجود بھی کتنی نان (غیر) سیریس ہے اور میں ایسے رویوں پر افسوس کرتا رہا۔

پھر میرا نمبر کال ہوا۔ جب میں کھڑکی کے پاس پہنچا تو دیکھا کہ شیشے کے اس پار بیٹھے تمام کیشیئرز میں سے کسی ایک نے بھی ماسک نہیں پہنا ہوا تھا۔

Buckling under pressure

Originally published in The News on Sunday, May 17, 2020

Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced a gradual lifting of the countrywide lockdown from the coming week. The announcement followed a high-level meeting in Islamabad on May 7 to review the impact of Covid-19 on the country’s already weak economy. The PM’s emphasis was mainly on providing benefits to small traders and daily wage workers suffering economic losses due to the preventive lockdown.

Since then, the provincial governments have allowed a conditional easing of the lockdown, asking traders to follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs) formulated by the authorities. The SOPs include wearing of masks, using hand sanitisers and keeping a safe distance to avoid the spread of the virus.

In Sindh and the Punjab, the businesses and shopping centres are now to open for general public from 9am to 5pm, four days a week. On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays the businesses are to remain closed and the lockdown in place. The governments have warned that in case of violation of the SOPs, the relaxation may be reversed.

This seemingly abrupt decision to open markets amid growing cases of Covid-19 has worried medical practitioners, who have been demanding continuation of the lockdown for another couple of weeks.

On Wednesday (third day of lockdown relaxation), the government-released data of Covid-19 cases indicated the single largest daily jump in confirmed coronavirus cases with 2,255 new cases bringing the total number of infected people to 34,231 with a total of over 700 deaths.

Massive crowds and open flouting of the SOPs was witnessed at congested shopping centres in downtown Saddar area in Karachi. On Wednesday afternoon, the District South administration had to seal Zainab Market, the famous shopping centre known for selling garments, and Gul Plaza on MA Jinnah Road, where imported textiles and other items are sold.

In Lahore, the provincial government warned shopkeepers to follow the SOPs failing which easing of restrictions would be withdrawn.

On the first day of the relaxation (Monday), people were seen with children riding on bikes in Karachi while others were sitting very close to one another in rickshaws without any precaution, says Dr Sher Shah Sayed of the Pakistan Medical Association, Sindh.

A group of concerned citizens including professional doctors, civil society and women rights activists held a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Tuesday and demanded that the government re-impose the lockdown. Earlier, doctors’ bodies in all four provinces had warned the government not to ease the lockdown as the virus spread had reached an alarming level in Pakistan. Even though the death rate is still low in Pakistan, the healthcare services in Pakistan are already scant and testing facilities are limited to major cities.

The government had been under immense pressure from various quarters, including the powerful business community, to ease the lockdown as shopping activity ahead of Eid ul Fitr would be affected. The gradual lifting of lockdown was an attempt to release that pressure. However, this poses grave risks to public health.

Workers have faced a big squeeze in their earnings as many industries have started letting go of their workers, most of whom were employed on short-notice contracts. These unemployed workers are desperately looking forward to the opening of industries. Some industries, especially factories producing export textiles, have started their operations.

In the last week of March, the federal government had announced an emergency relief cash grant to lockdown-affected poor in the country. The scheme under the PTI-government’s flagship Ehsaas programme provided an amount of Rs 12,000 to each registered citizen divided over three months. According to the Ehsaas programme website, the government has distributed an amount of Rs 91.611 billion among 7.512 million beneficiaries so far. An overwhelming majority of workers has thus remained deprived because they were unable to fulfill the stringent conditions attached to qualifying for the scheme.

According to the latest Labour Force Survey (2017-18), the total workforce of the country is more than 65.5 million. The beneficiaries of this special scheme are therefore only 11.5 per cent of the total workforce. The prime minister had earlier admitted that the data of informal or daily wage workers was not available which is why his government was not able to reach the entire workforce.

Workers’ bodies have demanded unemployment allowance under the universalisation of social security. Currently, 58 million workers out of 65.5 million are registered with the government’s social security institutions, including Employees Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI), according to data compiled by an Islamabad-based research institute, the Centre for Labour Research.

Economic experts believe that the pandemic has hit Pakistan’s economy hard. The IMF has already predicted that the overall GDP growth rate by the end of the current fiscal year would be 1.5 per cent as against State Bank’s projection of around 3 per cent. However, some economists say the coronavirus pandemic has also provided a cushion to provide a substantial relief to the people.

Dr Shahid Hassan Siddiqui, chairman of the Research Institute for Islamic Banking and Finance, says that because of reduction in oil prices and stabilisation of currency rate, the balance of trade and current account deficit have eased out. The IMF and Asian Development Bank have provided Covid-19 economic package and it is expected that inflation would be further reduced and imports would come down during the coming months.

He says that to provide relief to the poor the government may print currency notes worth Rs 300 billion and distribute it among the poor. This should be in addition to the amount the government is distributing under the Ehsaas programme. Dr Siddiqui says that such distribution would generate economic activity and the overall economy may revive by September this year. 

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The writer is a senior journalist currently working as a development communication professional in Karachi

4th time cut in policy rate @8%

For the 4th time in a row the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Friday announced another cut of 100 basis points (bps) in the Policy Rate by fixing it at 8%, a press release said.

The SBP has reduced the policy rate by a cumulative 525 bps since 17 March 2020.

According to the central bank, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) at its meeting on 15th May 2020 made the latest adjustment in the Policy Rate. This decision reflected the MPC’s view that the inflation outlook has
improved further in light of the recent cut in domestic fuel prices.

As a result, inflation could fall closer to its lower end of the previously announced ranges of 11-12 per cent this fiscal year and 7-9 per cent next fiscal year, the press release added.

It was a long-standing demand of the traders to reduce the interest rate to facilitate their borrowings from banks. The traders have been demanding to reduce the Policy Rate to 2-3 per cent.

To facilitate the businessmen from the economic shocks of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) related lockdown in Pakistan the central bank has already announced a special scheme to provide soft loans to the private sector so that they can retain and pay salaries to their employees during the lockdown closure of the offices. On April 10, 2020, the SBP announced an incentive scheme entitled Refinance Scheme for Payment of Wages and Salaries to the Workers and Employees of Business Concerns.

The SBP enhanced its refinance limits to finance up to 100% of wages and salaries of businesses with an average 3- month wage bill of up to Rs 500 million. This can be used for the onward payment of wages and salaries in April, May and June 2020. Earlier, 100% financing was available up to a wage bill of Rs 200 million only. Similarly, for businesses with a 3-month wage bill exceeding Rs 500 million, State Bank will now finance of up to 75% with maximum financing of Rs 1 billion. Earlier, 75% financing was available up to a maximum of Rs 375 million and 50% up to a maximum of Rs 500 million.

The profits on bank deposits, term deposits and fixed deposit schemes would further be reduced as the commercial banks including National Saving Centre have already reduced their rates to a minimal level and pensioners and widows who have been investing in various schemes to earn regular income would receive less amount. Currently, term deposit profits range from 7 to 7.5 percent when the discount rate was 9 per cent. These banks will certainly reduce it further to bring to the level of 6 yo 6.5 percent.

Locust attack: Pakistan may face food shortage this year

Last year swarms of locusts had attacked many parts of Sindh and other parts of the country by the end of May and destroyed about 15% of the standing crops. The locust initially came from Iran and other Gulf Arabian countries via Balochistan. They spread over upper Sindh’s districts and also in some areas of Southern Punjab. The areas right from the Nara Desert in Khairpur district in Sindh to the Cholistan Desert in Rahimyar Khan, the Punjab province attacked crops. In Sindh districts like Sanghar, Umerkot, and Tharparkar were also hit hard by locust swarms.

Sindh government raised hue and cry and sought support from the federal government in a vain.

Finally, the federal government had to declare a “national emergency” on January 31, 2020, to eliminate the attacking swarms of the desert locust, which have destroyed crops on a larger scale. The federal government had also approved a National Action Plan (NAP) with an estimated allocation of PKR 7.3 billion to overcome the crisis.

But this year the swarms have come to Sindh quite early (in April) with severe intensity and according to reports the locusts may completely destroy the cotton crop in the affected districts, as the crop was in its initial stage. It seems if the swarms are destroyed the farmers have to sow the crop late again to save their production, experts say.

This year, the locust attack is so severe and widespread that the farmers fear the country may face a famine line situation.

So far 35% of the total area affected by locust attack is in Sindh, said the provincial minister for Agriculture Ismail Rahu at a press briefing on May 5, 2020. “This is an emergency situation that needs immediate attention,” he said.

The photo was taken from the wall of Meghwal Malji

According to the United Nation’s agency Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) at a 25% damage level, the total potential losses are estimated to be about PKR 353 billion (USD 2.2 billion) for the Rabi crops, and about PKR 464 billion (USD 2.9 billion) for Kharif crops.

The Sindh government has been complaining to the federal government for not cooperating in combating the locusts’ attacks. Sindh government needed aircraft from the federal government for pesticide sprays, but Minister Rahu complained that the federal government was not providing aircraft despite the fact the provincial government had agreed to provide fuel for those machines.

Instead, the central government provided aircraft to the Punjab government for spraying on locust swarms. Last year even a special aircraft used for spraying the vast areas in Southern Punjab was crushed and two persons, the pilot, and aircraft engineer were killed.

This is an alarming situation for a country like Pakistan, which is quite self-sufficient in food production, but in the midst of the additional impacts of COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus Pandemic) the health, livelihoods, food security and nutrition are under threats, which may impact the most vulnerable communities and populations of Pakistan. An FAO report has suggested that it is imperative to contain and successfully control the desert locust infestation.  

The FAO claimed that in 2019, the Pakistan government’s Department of Plant Protection (DPP), and Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MFSR) surveyed an area of 932,580 hectares and treated 300,595 hectares in three provinces, consuming 150,839 litres of pesticides. Of the hectares treated, 20,300 hectares were cleared by aerial spraying.

But this massive operation to kill the locusts seemed to be futile as this year’s attack is so massive in upper Sindh and Southern Punjab that it is feared that most of the cotton crop would be damaged.

Eating locusts

Last year social media was amused with the reports and video clips of people making Biryanis of Locusts in various parts of Sindh.  According to a news report in Thar’s Chhachharo area, restaurants were selling biryanis and curry dishes made from locusts.

Even in a lighter mode, Sindh Agriculture Minister Ismail Rahu suggested a “bizarre solution” to fight locust manifestation by asking the people to cook the insects and enjoy delicious dishes made with locusts.

In Arab countries, people are still fond of eating fried locusts which they serve with rice but the insect dishes in this part of the Sub-Continent are mostly not popular. Even in Sindh people have stopped eating them.

Even some people started asking questions from religious scholars whether eating locusts are Halal or Haram. According to a scholar, locusts are Halal and can be eaten if people wish.

Pakistan's predicament

Karachi, January 3, 2017

After US President Donald Trump's tweet on the first day of New Year 2018, the US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on the following day (Tuesday) that the United States was withholding $255 million in aid to Pakistan because of its failure to cooperate fully in America’s fight against terrorism. It also added that more economic and military sanctions against Pakistan are in the pipeline and to be announced within 48 hours.

Pakistan actively took part in the 1979 US mission to oust the former USSR from Afghanistan. Then after Geneva Accord in 1988, Pakistan was abandoned and faced US sanctions in the form of the famous Pressler Amendment (to the US Foreign Assistance Act (FAA) of 1961). It stated that no military or technology equipment was to be provided to Pakistan unless the US president certified that Pakistan did not “possess” a nuclear explosive device and that the assistance provided by America would “reduce significantly the risk that Pakistan will possess a nuclear explosive device”.

Those sanctions were further tightened and multiplied in 1998 when Pakistan test-fired nuclear bombs in May 28.

Then suddenly Pakistan acquired importance after the 9/11 incidents in 2001 under the so-called "War on Terror" as Pakistan offered itself as a front-line state. Pakistan received huge foreign exchange in form of US Dollars as compensation for providing many airports for NATO force's airstrikes and use of its roads for supplies to NATO forces in Afghanistan.

Then in 2012, suddenly the US finds Osama Bin Laden was in Abbottabad and killed him, thus relationships between US and Pakistan become stressed as Pakistan termed the action as an intrusion in its sovereignty. Pakistan put behind bars Dr. Shakeel Afridi who allegedly supported the USA through a fake Polio campaign to verify the DNA test of the fugitive terrorist head of Al-Qaeda hiding in Abbottabad.

The US-Pakistan relationship further deteriorated after the withdrawal of the NATO forces by end of 2014 and since then Pakistan is again facing US sanctions. The USA withheld the due money to be paid as reimbursement under Coalition Support Fund and now the US says Pakistan had double-crossed. It can be implied that the US is a very innocent and novice state, which remained a fool (as admitted by General Trump in his famous New Year tweet) for years and continued supplying money to Pakistan without any realization.

Although, it is really very difficult to predict the next move of Pakistan to register its reaction as the key National Security Committee with representations from both the federal cabinet and Army has asked to defer the reaction of Pakistan to US President Trump's tweet, the US is aggressively threatening to Pakistan of further economic sanctions. Now the joint session of the Parliament would issue a reaction to Trump's tweet as it has been convened on Thursday. The NSC decision is appreciated by Pakistanis on the social media and in the newspapers. Dawn wrote an editorial on Wednesday appreciating the decision. It stated: "Yet, a hostile, threatening comment by a US president cannot simply be ignored, and Pakistan’s political and military leaderships did the right thing by meeting to discuss a joint civil-military response."

Labour Day 2020: Lackluster due to COVID_19

This year International Workers Day or May Day is being observed across the world amid lockdowns in most of countries due to Pandemic Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

“Workers of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains!” has been a famous slogan of Marx, which the workers of the world adopted and it became the main slogan during May Day rallies across the world. But this year those rallies are not going to happen due to COVID-19 lockdowns.

One can recall that International Workers’ Day is observed on the first of May every year to remember the Haymarket affair, which occurred in Chicago. The Haymarket affair riot was the aftermath of a bombing that took place at a labour demonstration on May 4, 1886, at Haymarket Square in Chicago.

“Eight-hour day with no cut in pay” was the popular slogan of the Chicago workers.

In 1904 the 6^th Conference of the Second International called on “all Social Democratic Party organisations and trade unions of all countries to demonstrate energetically on the First of May for the legal establishment of the 8-hour day, for the class demands of the proletariat, and for universal peace.

Besides Pakistan, the first of May is a national, public holiday in many countries across the world, in most cases as “Labour Day”, “International Workers’ Day” or some similar name. It is interesting to note that some countries celebrate Labour Day on other dates significant to them, such as the United States and Canada celebrate their Labour Day on the first Monday of September.

Trade unions and labour-supporting organisations throughout Pakistan organise seminars, rallies and parades where union leaders deliver speeches emphasizing the history of Labour Day and its importance. In Karachi, for many years, the main function is held at Karachi Press Club where trade unions, workers' wings of political parties, journalists unions and other labour organisations gather and their leaders address the seminars or conferences.

A night before the May Day a lamp/candle rally was held every year in support of Pearl Continental Hotel Karachi’s workers from Karachi Press Club to Shaheen Complex.

Representatives of various trade unions, civil society, lawyers, teachers, human rights organizations and other workers have been joining the rally in solidarity with workers. The fight for union rights at the Karachi hotel began in September 2001, when management announced that due to a decline in bookings it would sack all casual and temporary workers and eliminate one day of paid work per week for permanent staff.

The management fired 350 workers without informing the union. The dismissal letters were published in a daily newspaper on November 8, and the workers were barred from entering the hotel when they reported for work the next day.

More than 40 permanent employees, including union officers, were then brutally sacked for defending the rights of the dismissed workers. In 2002, the management arranged for leaders of the union to be falsely accused of crimes. Three union leaders spent more than two months in prison on fabricated charges without a single piece of evidence ever being produced. Since then the issue is still unresolved. The Sindh labour department had attempted to solve the issue, but it remains unresolved due to the adamant attitude of the PC management.

This year’s May Day is unusual in the history of the labour movement as the workers are unable to observe as they are simultaneously hard-hit because of the prolonged lockdown since March 23 as most of the industries and businesses are completely or partially shut down and many companies have started laying off their employees due to closure of markets, transport and shipping services and shopping markets.

Although Sindh government has issued a notification barring the industries from laying off their workers and making payment of wages for the month of March, some industries have still not followed the government orders and removed services of many of their workers. Others owners have not paid even March’s salaries.

Now the issue of payment of wages for April and May months is still unresolved as industries have refused to pay further due to no work during April. Although the State Bank of Pakistan has offered a special package for the industries and businesses to get loans on very discounted rats from banks to pay salaries to their staff. This 4-5 percent markup loan is payable with softer terms.

Pakistan with an estimated labour force of 61 million was already facing economic hardships due to widening trade gap as its imports are double than export proceeds. This situation further worsened during the last two years as the the new government of Prime Minister Imran Khan has failed to improve the economy. It has massively devalued Pakistan currency and impose curbs on imported goods. This has improved the situation of trade deficit but local industries have suffered due to tight economic polices and tax regimes. The COVID_19 crisis has further aggravated the economy’s situation as the international financial institutions predict a negative growth in Gross Domestic Produce (GDP) during the next fiscal year. This year’s growth would be less than 2 percent.

Earth Day 2020: “Climate Action”

Every year on the 22^nd of April Earth Day is observed worldwide. In Pakistan also environmental protection organisations and agencies observe this day. The theme of this year’s day is Climate Action. Due to coronavirus lockdowns across the world, this day is being observed virtually in cyberspace.

Climate change represents the biggest challenge to the future of humanity and the life-support systems that make our world habitable.

At the end of 2020, nations will be expected to increase their national commitments to the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change. The time is now for citizens to call for greater global ambition to tackle our climate crisis. Unless every country in the world steps up – and steps up with urgency and ambition — we are consigning current and future generations to a dangerous future.

The world’s largest civic event is going digital for the first time in its history. The organisers will demand that leaders take science seriously, listen to their people and push for action at every level of society to stop the rising tide of climate change.

“We can make a better world for everyone. Tell everyone you know about April 22 and join us at earthday.org as we flood the world with messages of hope, optimism and, above all — action,” stated a message on the online website www.earthday.org/earth-day-live.

On April 22, 1970, over 20 million Americans (about 10% of the U.S. population at the time) took to the streets, college campuses and hundreds of cities to protest environmental ignorance and demand a new way forward for our planet. The first Earth Day is credited with launching the modern environmental movement and is now recognized as the planet’s most significant civic event.

The first Earth Day in 1970 launched a wave of action, including the passage of landmark environmental laws in the United States. The Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts were created in response to the first Earth Day in 1970, as well as the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Many countries soon adopted similar laws.

Earth Day continues to hold major international significance: In 2016, the United Nations chose Earth Day as the day when the historic Paris Agreement on climate change was signed into force.

On Earth Day 2020, we seize all the tools and actions that we have, big and small, to change our lives and change our world, not for one day, but forever.

While the coronavirus may force us to keep our distance, it will not force us to keep our voices down. The only thing that will change the world is a bold and unified demand for a new way forward.

We may be apart, but through the power of digital media, we’re also more connected than ever.

On April 22, join for 24 hours of action in a global digital mobilization that drives actions big and small, gives diverse voices a platform and demands bold action for people and the planet.

Over the 24 hours of Earth Day, the 50th anniversary of Earth Day will fill the digital landscape with global conversations, calls to action, performances, video teach-ins and more.

While Earth Day may be going digital, our goal remains the same: to mobilize the world to take the most meaningful actions to make a difference.

No matter where you are, you can make a difference. And you’re not alone, because together, we can save the Earth.

Visit www.earthday.org on April 22 as we build an Earth Day unlike any other — We’re flooding the digital landscape with live-streamed discussions, a global digital surge, and 24 hours of actions that you can take, right now and from wherever you are.

Earth Day 2020 will be far more than a day. It must be a historical moment when citizens of the world rise up in a united call for the creativity, innovation, ambition, and bravery that we need to meet our climate crisis and seize the enormous opportunities of a zero-carbon future.

Lockdown Diary 4: Taraweeh & stubborn Mullahs

Today I was watching on TV where the President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi was addressing a press conference after a mammoth meeting with religious leaders from across the country and reading out 20- point agenda regarding offerings of Taraweeh during the ensuing Holy month of Ramazan. Thus the government has allowed such non-Faraz prayers during Ramazan, despite the fact Farz prayers are restricted these days.

The main crux of his speech after the meeting with religious clerics was the government would allow these religious congregations with certain conditionalities, which are, in fact, not fit in any case, to the SOPs to avoid social distances in large gatherings.

Source: dawn.com

It is a pity that religious elements in the country have been pressurizing and blackmailing the governments to impose their views and alter government decisions. We have been watching the full of violent stage theatres on TV screens every Friday when despite the strict ban the Friday congregations are held with crowds attending everywhere in the country and the government seems helpless. Even on the first Friday after the official lockdown, the unruly mobs of religious zealots attacked police parties in Liaqatabad Karachi that tried to prevent the holding of the congregation in order to implement the rule of law. On the second Friday the religious zealots attacked a lady police officer in Orangi town in Karachi. The religious leaders of some mosques are facing cases, even under anti-terrorism law on violations of government orders and attacks on Police personnel.

Last Friday, the media was full of pictures of a huge gathering at the famous Lal Masjid in Islamabad near Aabpara, where a large number of faithful attended Juma prayers without any resistance from the state’s law enforcement agencies. Even one can see in the pictures a guard was standing alert in plainclothes with a sophisticated Kalashnikov rifle in his hand, apparent for guarding the Friday prayers gathering in violation of the lockdown orders.

Today’s announcement by the head of the state was, in fact, a slap on the face of the government, which has always succumbed to pressures from religious parties.

At first religious pilgrims from Iran and Saudi Arabia caused the spread of coronavirus in Pakistan, then came Tablighis from Raiwand, who are still being diagnosed coronavirus positive across the country. Even yesterday in Ghotki town in upper Sindh over 90 Tablighis were found positive after the testing. Results for more tests are still awaited.

It is a matter of fact that Saudi Arabia, which is considered the leader of the Muslim world because all important religious pilgrimage places are located there, has announced its coronavirus policy regarding the holding of Taraweeh during the Holy month of Ramazan and asked the faithful to offer their prayers at homes. Yesterday, during a Zoom conference call a friend of mine from Saudi Arabia told us that there is strict implementation of lockdowns and in case of violation heavy fines are imposed. There is a 24-hour strict lockdown on holy places across Saudi Arabia, but in some other cities, there is relaxation during the daytime. His area was also included in the relaxed lockdown.

Here in Pakistan, our religious leaders are adamant to hold prayer gatherings at all costs. Religious gatherings have already proved to be prone to the spread of coronavirus and churches, temples and synagogues are closed down all over the world.

Our religious leaders are so “Hypocrites” that even one of the top Muftis was saying in a TV programme that there are different conditions in Saudi and Pakistan and “we are not obliged to follow Saudi traditions,” a blatant lie by a religious leader as people of his sect have been following the laws and rules given by Saudi Arabia in their preaching and even many of that school of thought have been receiving money from Saudi Arabia on many occasions. Their religious schools (Madressah) are regularly funded by Saudi Arabia.

There should be no “ifs and buts” for following the lockdown orders of the Pakistan government and Taraweeh should not be allowed at any cost. These special prayers during Ramzan are considered Nawafil (optional) prayers, which were, some experts say, not proved during the life of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him).

Click for listening to Dr. Javed Ghamidi on YouTube

According to the noted religious scholar Javed Ghamdi, the Holy Prophet was offering Tahajud prayers for longer durations during the nights of Ramzan. According to him, Tahajud was Farz on only Holy Prophet (PBUH) and He was offering it in his private place (Hujrah).

Only once in Ramazan the Holy Prophet (PBUH) offered Tahajud out of his Hujrah and offered it in Masjid-e-Nabvi. Some Sahaba (RA) requested the Holy Prophet (PBUH) that they be allowed to offer Tahajud with him. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) had made it clear that it is not “Farz” for the rest of Muslims, but they can recite Holy Quran during the month of Ramazan. According to him, Witre in Isha prayers is in fact Tahajud (which is said to be Wajib). There are conflicts regarding the number of Rakaats in Taraweeh.

Another religious scholar of the Sunni sect Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza has said there are four names of Tahajud: Qayamul Lail, Tahjud, Witre and Taraweeh.

 

Despite the fact Taraweeh may be offered in Ramazan but there should be no excuse to compromise on human health to hold congregations of Taraweeh at any cost. The Mullahs should be told categorically.