By
Rabia Nisar |
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Managing the incomming
financial aid is a test of the sagacity and skill of our economic
managers to make maximum use of this opportunity.
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note that President General Musharraf, in his most recent
interview to a panel of eminent journalists on PTV, has reiterated
his firm resolve to go ahead with the road map to democracy
as per the schedule announced earlier inspite of the volatile
situation in the neighboring Afghanistan. He also repeated
his standpoint priority wise vis-a-vis the ravaging war next
door and our national view. The number one priority, of course,
is the supreme national interest, for joining the coalition
against terrorism wherever it exists. The second priority
spelled out is about the safety and security of the sensitive
installations for which already existing command and control
system has been further beefed up. The third priority is the
political economy where the multi-faceted pressure is mounting
on Pakistan at various fronts. Last but not least, broad-based
multi-ethnic representative government which may bring peace
and stability to a war ravaged Afghanistan after two decades.
Over the years, we ha'/e tried almost all forms of government
in Pakistan. In the 1960s, we tried capitalism of the colonial
legacy, socialism in the 1970s. Dictatorship in the 1980s,
and Westminster- type democracy in the 1990s. But non off
these succeeded because these were not in consonance with
the genesis of a vast majority of the population Moreover,
these attempts were lopsided and directionless and could not
fit in with the ground realities. These policies |
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empowered the rulers but impoverished
the people A Westminster - type democracy needs certain pre-
requisites for its success. A nation of 40% illiterates. Ruled
by self- centered and irresponsible leaders, with an intelligentsia
largely unconcerned and general masses totally apathetic,
should not be treated to reap the benefits of a system that
was inherited from our colonial masters whose population is
1OO% literate, intelligentsia is well informed and masses
have a high degree of civic sense and enlightenment. For its
success in Pakistan, we must adopt the democratic system to
suit our religious and culture values. The Westminster model
tends to alienate us from Islamic values.
Those who have been championing the cause of Islam are visionless
mercenaries. They say things which they do not practise |
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and practise
things which they do not say. They themselves, are accomplices
of the privileged class and incapable of challenging
the status quo forces because they are themselves its
beneficiaries. The current crop of Islamic leaders,
who have relentlessly expolitical Islamic movement,
which shall identify only the basic denominator of an
individuals Muslim faith, is the need of the hour which
must rise. The kind of change that can ensure equitable
distribution of values in society by challenging the
oppressive and oppressive colonial structures can only
happen if the spirit of Muslim nationalism is to be
followed with full vigor and an indomitable spirit.
That is what had made Pakistan possible in the first
place. To make it exist as a welfare society, dealing
with the world iii a dignified manner and treating its
own helpless people as equal citizens, we shall have
to get rid off this cocked- up fear 4 lslamists taking
over the state. It is time that the real islamists stood
up and counted. The immoral practice of using religion
for political ends and legalizing religious Discrimination
for political gain is part of the ruthless psyche of
our rulers, notwithstanding that the mutually agreed
constitution of 1973, lays down explicitly that no law
and rules will be enforced which are repugnant to Islam.
Moreover, to give a thing of Islam to their rule, one
or two injunctions of Islam |
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are made applicable to hoodwink the
public. Piecemeal enforcement of injunctions does not
serve any useful purpose; rather, it creates chaos and
anarchy. The Holy Quran clearly lays down that Islam
is to be enforced and practised in totality by the believers.
The biggest problem of third world countries, including
Pakistan, is poverty produced by the debt trap and resultant
deficit-financing, inflation, unbalanced budgeting,
excessive and multiple taxation, spiraling pricing and
unemployment. Is sole solution is a sovereign self-reliance
and by defiance against slavery of alien decisions.
Our choices are hard but the stakes are also r' high.
The price will be high if politic-economic freedom is
to be achieved. The proportion of the unemployed, the
unsettled and the sick in population is not only very
high, it is growing with each passing day. Disparities
of incomes between social groups on the one hand and
- - between regions on the other are widening. Income
policies of |
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successive
governments have clearly favored the while the number
of those below the poverty line has grown from 17% in
1987 to 35% in 2000, it is said to be grow at a faster
rate during the on-going recession. Behind growth of
lawlessness and sectarian ethnic violence, there are
host of factors ranging from economic distress deprivations
to psychosis of fear, hatred and paranoia affecting
people's attitudes, outlook and behaviour on extensive
scale.
The most daunting challenge facing Pakistan today is
the huge debt burden of 36b dollars. The donor countries
including the US, UK, Canada, Germany, Japan and Aus
have already announced to turn that amounts of debt
aid which is beyond any legislation and to reschedule
restructure the remaining debt. It is a silver lining
in the clouds. It is also a test of the sagacity and
skill 0 economic managers to make maximum use of opportunity.
A golden change has also been creel address the Kashmir
issue. There were already some signals on the visits
and pronouncement of Tony Blair, Collin Powell. Hopefully,
this longstanding issue will more fruitful and favourable
attention. Last but not the least.A likely threat from
armed and fanatical Jihadi militants to all possible
policy options that favour democracy, freedom of speech
and the press, a plural political Islamic and good governance,
will be seriously taken into There will be no more complacency
this time around. Musharraf already contained the field
of bureaucratic maneuvers to a considerable extent over
me last two years and needs to remain ever vigilant
and cautious the vested interests of the people around
him. Taking the nation into confidence, it must be positively
that after achieving its objective. America does not
leave us high and dry as had been done after the Soviet
withdrawal.
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Apris
Asprin
A blood
thinner called clopidogrel can reduce the risk of
fatal and nonfatal heart attack an strokes 20% in
folks with unstable angina, according to a study of
12,500 subjects worldwid Clopidogrel is already used
after angioplasty procedures - U.S. Vice President
Dick Chen took it - but this latest study may make
it the most significant advance in the management
of heart disease since aspirin. If only clopidogrel
were as cheap: it costs about $3 a pill.
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