Budget 2013 Analysis:Ishaq Dar kick-starts a ‘bubble economy’

Budget Analysis:Dar kick-starts a ‘bubble economy’ 

Saeed Minhas

Newly elected government of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) has finally presented a budget to lure businessmen, army and investors by raising their hopes of getting the real kick out of the cash starved economy.

The same man who had orchestrated a US $ 7.6 billion loan from IMF at the start of Peoples Party government in 2008 was seen ensuring nothing but covering all the vulnerable bases for his own party’s government. Their core vote bank of business tycoons and an institution which has lately become nothing less than an Achilles Heel of Nawaz League (or for that matter for all elected governments) have all been extended a hand which remained elusive for them during Zardari led government of the past.  

Army has been offered a 10 per cent (15 % if we add PSDP dole outs) hike whereas investors and businessmen have got what they have been looking for in the past five years; a further decrease in interest rates to help them stave off their burden of heavy bank loans. By resorting to the old paradigm of ‘you scratch my back and I yours’ federal finance minister Ishaq Dar was magnanimous to indirectly praise the previous government of PPP by highlighting the fact that the inflation has scaled down from double digits to just 8 per cent.

What does that mean for an ordinary person? Nothing but despair, reveals many economists when asked about the reality of ever climbing inflation. According to IMF and CIA fact books it still stand around 11.9 per cent in Pakistan. However, figures from State Bank of Pakistan differ dramatically because according to their latest revelations inflation has further gone down in May this year from 6 to 5.7 per cent. Interestingly, the CPI reveals these startling figures because SBP does not include food and energy sector hikes while calculating these figures. With three hikes in electricity and an added fuel surcharge during the caretakers, people are already reaping the fruits by paying not only these hiked rates of absent electricity but almost double the prices for all edibles and basic necessities. Real fruits of nature seem to have become a dream for majority of the population even in urban centres. Yet if the newly elected government, which few weeks earlier was crying hoarse that massively corrupt regime of PPP has made life miserable for common citizens, feels that a magic wand has turned things around, then we should all head for jungles to join the massive roars of the new Lion. But remember this too that gone are the verbosity-filled electioneering as reality has already sunk in and is biting not only Nawaz League but more so to the common man on street.

Minimum wage was supposed to see at least 50 per cent if not 150 per cent increase as per the election manifesto of Nawaz League in May 2013. But that too did not materialize. You know why because of the emphasis of the federal finance minister that inflation has actually come down. Therefore, it gives the justification to the federal government to leave the federal employees and pensioners without any need for increase in their purchasing power. However, because the inflation has remained low, therefore, it will be the same common man who will have to pay an extra one per cent in sales tax (another IMF promise fulfilled).

All of a sudden it seems that federal government within a span of couple of weeks of taking over the federal government has started seeing the people living in green pastures without any complaint or shortcomings. Isn’t it amazing?  Of course it is.

Ishaq Dar has already made his intentions clear that no matter how much his party leader wants to break theKashkool (begging bowl), he sees no other way to pay off the spiraling burden of internal and external debts but to resort to new loans. Many economist believe that the new government is interested in creating a ‘bubble economy’ by resorting to the same old tactics they knew the best; low mark-up loans for 50,000 youth, duty free import of hybrid cars and lowering of interest rates. Does it have any resemblance with yellow cab schemes, youth investment scheme and duty free import of Mercedes Benz by the same party during 1990s? Certainly a lot. So let’s welcome the first budget of a party, which seems to have transformed a lot, or at least that’s what we have been hearing in the lead up to their oath taking.

With mini budgets likely to be pouring on all of us like an unending monsoon, we should be ready for another bank driven bumpy ride for at least next five foreseeable years. Federal minister Ishaq Dar has kick-started the same bandwagon which Silk Tareen tried to decorate with his banking connections, Hafeez Sheikh with his hedge-fund investors and then caretakers with the dictates from the Khakis.

Diplomatic Bubbles: Chinese massages Vs Chinese ambitions

Diplomatic Bubbles: 

Chinese massages vs Chinese ambitions

Saeed Minhas

ISLAMABAD: An eventful election period in Pakistan seems to have exhausted the diplomatic corps in federal capital to the extent that soon after hearing the opening address of the newly-elected prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif many of them were seen rushing for a kneading in the city’s elite and notorious parlors.

There was hardly anything wrong with that as many of us encountered some European, Gulf, Latin Americans and eve African diplomats in many such known places run by elite hospitality groups waiting for their turn to get into massage gowns. After all many of them have been running from Karachi to Khyber throughout the four weeks of electioneering to gauge the sentiments, weigh the options and find something to write back home. Ranging from anti-Americanism to TTP’s purported influence on the elections, they observed everything throughout these grilling and tension-marred weeks. The polling and the results and then the first democratic transition of power remained great interest to many of them as they saw many firsts during these days. Record polling, exuberance of youth, emergence of a third political reality, boycotts, voices of rigging, role of media and an election victory speech within hours of polling time, they remained glued to such and much more happenings.
Ostensibly, politics should have remained the discussion point in these parlours as well but to my surprise it was not the case. While sitting in one such elitist place, I had no option but to eavesdrop to what was going on next to me between a Chinese telecom company employee (wearing Zong’s logo on his shirt) and an American, full of slangs and mouthful of them.
Federal capital already having a notorious touch for having cat or key clubs and night parties was the topic of discussion between these two which later was joined by a Romanian and Czech diplomat. A gang of five families, all of Chinese origin ad their competition with the new arrivals from central Asian republics mostly from Baku and Tashkent was the exact topic of discussion. Crux of the matter was that which place gives better value for money when it comes to body massage.
Hot talk over the sex slaves of China was not the only thing which was going on there as others were also endorsing the lethal combination of such slaves with spying assignments, the air soon became so tense that parlour management had to send them both to their respective service places and end this conversation.
Chinese and Americans seems to have become so much engrossed in each other’s movements these days that it seems that there is a mini cold war going on between the two in our federal capital. If Americans have blocked entire roads on security reasons, so are Chinese doing in F 6 area. If Americans have developed their own clubs and handout places within diplomatic enclave, so are Chinese doing to establish little China Towns in Islamabad. One such was found in F 11’s jungle of multi story buildings where a telecom company has rented out any entire building for its employees. Once you enter the heavily guarded doors of the complex, you can simply tell by smelling the air that our closest and all weather friends are bringing Shanghai here.
A talk with the security experts in the capital also revealed that this tit for tat is becoming a big diplomatic hassle for the foreign office these days. Just before the visit of the Chinese prime minister to Islamabad, they said that a high level security delegation arrived in Islamabad to ensure the security arrangements. During one such meeting, they informed that the Chinese left the then caretaker interior minister Malik Habib completely dumb by telling him the figures of American spies in the capital and around Pakistan. They even asked Malik to completely block the entry and exit points of federal capital for the entire duration of Chinese premier’s stay in Islamabad besides blocking the phone networks to avoid any mishap.
Another official further confided that our all season Chinese friends have officially protested to the government of Pakistan about engaging Saudis in Gwadar port area. Since the Chinese company is entrusted the task of making the deep sea port of Pakistan operational by the last government, therefore, they believe that though Americans have not been allowed to set up their consulate in Baluchistan but by giving the huge tracts of lands to Saudis would eventually bring Americans in Gwadar- game.
Certainly a game is on between China and America for supremacy at the world stage but Islamabad seems to be fast becoming a mini stage for this Sino-US cold war.

ICFJ: NGOs Appeal to President of Egypt: Free the journalists and Freedom of Expression

 

Appeal to Egyptian President 

 

Below is the testimony of  Joyce Barnathan, President of  International Center for Journalists he made before the US Congress to seek justice for two Egyptian and three American journalists who have been sentenced to serve in jail just for training journalists on issues like freedom of expression, truthful journalism and adhereing to journalistic code of ethics while reporting from difficult areas. 

We the media NGOs, appeal to the President of Egypt to free the senteced journalists to let the world know that freedom of expression is not restricted in Egypt.

 

 

 

TESTIMONY BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE

ON THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

“AMERICAN NGOS UNDER ATTACK IN MORSI’S EGYPT”

 

JUNE 12, 2013

Chairman Ros-Lehtinen and Members of the Committee, thank you for inviting me to testify about the terrible verdict in Egypt.

 
The International Center for Journalists’ work in Egypt and around the world is aimed at raising professional standards. We offer practical, hands-on programs using the latest digital tools. We help today’s journalists produce responsible, ethical coverage.

When we first learned of the startling charges against five ICFJ employees, we worked with excellent lawyers to present overwhelming evidence that the allegations were false. Up until the verdict, our lawyers were convinced of an acquittal. The decision to convict all of the NGO workers is a politically motivated move.  It does not reflect the work of ICFJ in Egypt. 

But this decision has ruined lives. What do you say to a distinguished journalist like Yehia Ghanem, whom we hired to lead our new program, which hadn’t even begun, and to finish the registration process? He got a two-year sentence and cannot return home to his wife and three children – and the country he loves – without going to prison. 

What do we say to his children, who cry daily because they miss their father? One of his kids had both arms broken in school for defending his dad’s honor. Our other Egyptian employee, Islam Shafiq, is separated from his pregnant young wife. Though his one-year term was suspended, is it really safe for him to return? Both are here today.

The court labeled the three U.S.-based defendants – Patrick Butler, Natasha Tynes and Michelle Betz – as fugitives, though they were not based in Egypt and were not there when the charges were filed. They got five-year terms. These people’s livelihoods depend on travel. Labeled as convicts, will they be arrested and sent to Cairo by a nation that has an extradition treaty with Egypt? 

Then there's the societal impact. Egyptian court officials say they will pursue anyone who helped the NGOs—and they want to investigate other civil society groups. The draft of a new NGO law, by many accounts, including the State Department’s, is onerously restrictive. 

There is a chilling effect that has frozen the hopes of an Arab Spring. 

For ICFJ, this politically motivated decision is particularly painful. We are not a political organization. We do not take political positions or offer political advice. 
ICFJ has been working in Egypt since 2005, with the complete knowledge of the government. We applied for registration from the start—and shortly before our offices were raided, we gave the government full details about all of our programs. 

We always have formal contracts with prestigious universities or news organizations, which are registered to carry out our programs. In 2011, our lawyer recommended that we open an office, a legal requirement for registration. We had conducted no activities in this office while we waited for final approval. 

At the heart of this matter is a dispute between the U.S. and Egyptian governments over funding for NGO activity.  The Egyptian Minister of International Cooperation was angered that the U.S. gave funds to NGOs instead of to her ministry. ICFJ and its employees were not aware of this dispute. 

The verdict is full of loaded language. The court claims that NGOs may appear to support human rights and democracy, but that the underlying goal is to “undermine Egypt’s national security and lay out a sectarian map that serves U.S. and Israeli interests.” The judges described NGO work as a new form of “soft imperialism practiced by donors to destabilize, weaken and dismantle” Egypt. 

How do we even relate to any of these charges? The ICFJ defendants did nothing wrong by training journalists. We are discussing with our lawyers how to appeal this verdict. But how can we be confident in the appeal process when judges simply ignore the facts? Our employees also risk getting thrown in jail if they return home for an appeal. And those tried in absentia have no legal recourse. 

Egypt’s news media have made groundless attacks on our defendants. These distortions show that the media need ICFJ’s services more than ever. The real victims are the Egyptian people, who will likely see further backsliding in democracy and freedom of expression. 

Members of Congress who visited Egypt during the trial assured our staff there that they had nothing to worry about. The U.S. government would protect those working on programs it funded, they said. We urge Congress now to hold fast to that promise. Please use all means possible to get these unjust verdicts overturned.

We need a pardon so that good, decent people like Yehia Ghanem and Islam Shafiq can recapture their lives. It would be a shame if Egyptian citizens now fear that working to build democratic institutions will only land them in jail.

2000 M St. NW, Suite 250 | Washington, DC 20036 US

PEMRA fails in everything else but corruption SAEED MINHAS

PEMRA fails in everything else but corruption

SAEED MINHAS

ISLAMABAD: Open violation of its own rules and regulations, harassment of cable operators and obliging the big wigs associated with the presidency seems to have become the order of the day at Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) these days. Investigations into the affairs of the regulatory authority, meant to streamline private TV and radio stations in the country, reveals that other than violating their mandated rules and regulations, the authority is busy in pleasing the ousted rulers while ensuring that new one does not get a smooth sailing in the media. Informed sources confirmed that besides obliging former interior minister Rehman Malik with an illegal TV license and shifting the monopoly of cable operations in Lahore and Islamabad from the Salman Taseer family-operated World Call to an in- form media house with established links to the Presidency (Lakhanis), PEMRA is leaving no stone unturned to not only make big bucks in this process but more importantly doing it in the name of the Nawaz government which is yet to settle down in Islamabad. In the same go a news license has also been issued to a channel which was supposed to be a drama channel, informed the sources. Under this new shock and awe policy unleashed by a newly inducted coterie of officials led by DG Operations Rana Tahir, a leading private channel has been given another license for airing their fifth outlet, whereas PEMRA rules do not allow more than four channels to any single media group. “It’s like a smack in the face of
transparency and even competition commission,” commented a senior official of PEMRA.  Rana Tahir, who darted in recently from Lahore to set up this cell in PEMRA has made sure that none of the applications coming via the presidency get delayed while any other request is thoroughly subjected to inquiries and ultimately, the bargains. The case cited as prime example was that of DM TV, which is owned by Rehman Malik. This TV was given landing rights for Pakistan within record time. Under the PEMRA rules all those TV channels who receive landing rights have no authority to do up-linking from within Pakistan. Despite knowing that DMTV is up- linking from Karachi and Lahore, PEMRA officials have been instructed by the chairman and DG operations to simply ignore this. “We have pointed this issue to our top management, but the orders have been that find someone else and leave this out,” commented a PEMRA official working in the field. The story does not end here because besides playing with rules and regulations, this special team with a mission, as they are known within the new glassed tower of PEMRA offices, the cable association has been given a valid reason to revolt against the Nawaz government by forcibly dividing them on provincial lines. The Rana Tahir supervised ”Divide CAB” operation has finally resulted in pitching the central Punjab and KP operators against Karachi based Sindhi, Quetta based Baloch and Multan based Seraiki operators. An apparently united cable association was divided very swiftly by arranging and funding a convention of cable operators by PEMRA officials in
Lahore. The ousted chairman of CAB, Khaled Arayan was on record having said that “PEMRA officials were intimidating and harassing cable operators to support their newly nominated officials in the Lahore convention to oust the existing ones.” Babrak Khan from Baluchistan Cable Operators Association was also on record that “operators hailing from Baluchistan, Karachi, Sind and even South Punjab were forcibly kept out of the convention by using police force.”
How this harassment is being inflicted upon cable operators from the PEMRA head office in Islamabad is another interesting episode to look at. Many of the cable operators were not allowed to enter the convention because they refused to side with a PEMRA sponsored nominees in Lahore held in the last week of April this year are either getting notices of termination of their cable licenses or heavy fines. Those who can afford to bargain with the special envoys of Rana
Tahir and his bosses are being let off the hook while those who cannot afford to fulfill the huge demands of this coterie are being suspended and thrown out of business. The facts were verified from almost a dozen cable operators, who were stopped from attending the Lahore convention, as they showed notices they have received from DG Operations in the past few weeks. They included even those who have got favourable orders from none other than the Supreme Court of
Pakistan asking PEMRA to avoid a one sided witch hunt of cable operators. Many of these operators refused to be named fearing repercussions. On condition of anonymity some of them told that “when you are asked that Rana Tahir is from Punjab and has close connections with Nawaz League, how can we dare to come out in the open against such people who are openly demanding millions in the name of PML (N) government.” Rana Tahir was not available for his comments despite several attempts but officials working under him brushed these allegations aside saying that PEMRA is just trying to tame these cable operators who do not want to be governed by anyone. Chaudhry Rashid was not available for any comments in this regard. Many in PEMRA strongly believe that Nawaz government has got nothing to do with these malpractices and open violations going on in PEMRA. They said that newly inducted chairman is already facing at least five litigations in various courts challenging his appointment while Rana Tahir in his previous stint with PEMRA is known for under the table bargains. Therefore, they believe that it’s more about personal interests and money than the backing of Nawaz government which has made this coterie completely blind. Prime Minister of Pakistan Mian Nawaz Sharif in his first speech had categorically stated that his government would not tolerate nepotism and corruption and many inside and outside PEMRA are now considering this regulatory authority as the first test case for the new government to prove its claims of transparency and good governance.

Press Gallery: Cumbersome Journey starts for Sharif

Cumbersome journey starts for Sharif

Saeed Minhas 

ISLAMABAD: A cautiously low-profile start by the third-time prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif, a beating about the bush attitude of Makhdoom Amin Fahim and a wise advice from Mahmood Khan Achakzai for his coalition boss remained the highlight of a historic day in National Assembly proceedings on Wednesday.

There hardly was any doubt about the election of Mian sahb as prime minister and a division of the house for counting his majority vote was considered nothing but a formality. The number game was in favour of Nawaz League. Coalition partners of Imran Khan in KP (Jamaat-e-Islami and Qaumi Watan Party) along with MQM and solitary member of ANP and independents of FATA had already announced to vote for Mian Sahb. Yet, what concerned many in the League camp was the fact that Mian sahb got only 244 votes as compared to 258 votes for his party-nominated speaker.
Symbolic gestures by PTI and a more strategic one by Peoples Party to pitch their respective candidates against Mian Nawaz Sharif was all aimed at scoring some points to mature their claim for an all powerful seat of the Opposition leader in the assembly. Peoples Party, went a bit overboard in its bid as they tried to show off their daggers by scratching upon a sensitive point of Nawaz League when NICL-tainted Makhdoom of Hala Sharif congratulated the agencies in the same breath he felicitated the newly elected prime minister.
Passionate and speaking from the heart, Mian Nawaz Sharif tried to touch upon everything under the sun but fell desperately short of all those expectations whereby a policy statement or for that matter a 90-days road map was coming. He, however, hinted at addressing the nation—a 90s technique of using PTV for politicking—to reveal his home-made solutions for economy, loadshedding, lawlessness, drones, foreign policy issues and his three priority areas of agriculture, industry and trading.
From the written script to extempore utterances, Mian sahb tried to prove an epitome of reconciliation and rapprochement. Nevertheless, Mian sahb proved all those wrong—at least for the time being—who were betting their souls to convince every Tom, Dick and Harry that judiciary, media or military will prove one of his first causality. Rather, he avoided all of this and said only few many words for the media that it will be free to not only point out his government’s follies but also show them the directions to improve the governance. A far cry from what has so far been associated with Mian Sahb that he would set the media houses, defiant judges and even un-related faujis in order just like he did in his previous two outings. Instead, he was looking for cooperation, extending a hand out to opposition and more importantly acknowledging PPP government for decisions like Gawadar port.
Chief of PkMAP, Mahmood Achakzai amongst many others also spoke on the role of agencies but then he was quick to caution everyone out there to deal with this delicate matter very tactfully hence prepare for the marching orders. Showing a clear way out of Mushy-saga to his ruling party friends, he almost spelled out the mindset of Nawaz League that let the bygones be bygones and enjoy the new mandate. But as the wise-guys in the Muslim League believe that “Mushy is none of our concern, it’s between him, the courts and the guarantors,” the matter for sure lies with My Lords. As one of our friend from legal fraternity very pertinently mentioned that media-driven my lords have already started making headlines to make their presence felt very loud and clear.”
As for the policies are concerned, which Mian sahb has not divulged to the same house, whose sanctity he wants to uphold, Nawaz Leaguers believe that besides sending many babus between grade 17 and 21 back to educational institutions, investors and bankers have been asked to come up with any loose change they may have. Empty coffers and mere promises are likely to cut not only honeymoon short but the entire journey might become a big question mark. Therefore efforts are afoot by dollar-dar to do the scavenger’s job while Chaudhry Nisar has been asked to come up with a security roadmap which can pave way for secure environment for the investors. Therefore the man from Chakri is not only reviving the contacts with the cantonments to find a workable solution for internal and external negotiations, revealed some insiders.

Press Gallery: A changed man or a changed plan?

A changed man or a changed plan? 

Saeed Minhas  

Islamabad: Formality of elections for the speaker and deputy speaker for the fresh National Assembly was overshadowed by Mahmood Khan Achakzai’s double-edged outburst as it turned every elected party on the House’s platter especially the ruling Nawaz League to think twice before endorsing it.

There was hardly anything unusual in the demand of PKMAP’s chief but the reaction from everyone was so noticeable that it mattered in the end to hear everyone out there on the issue of constitutional supremacy. Many thought that Achakzai has done so with the tacit understanding of Nawaz League and to thank them for adhering to his thought of endorsing Dr Abdul Maalik as chief minister of Balochistan. It hardly was the case, especially when not one but two members, representing two different school of thought within Nawaz League had to stand up and talk on this. It surely was not the case when Shah Mehmood Qureshi, this time speaking from PTI benches, asked the ruling party to spell out their strategy with regard to Gen (r) Musharraf who is awaiting a trial under high treason if the government initiates such a case against him. Then of course, MQM had its own axe to grind even on this issue when Farooq Sattar discretely sought an answer from the ruling party that would they like to respect others so that they can be respected.
In short it was a prelude to what is bound to become the norm in an assembly where besides other usual actors, an all rounder with the ability to upset if not change the game has got 31 members sitting on opposition benches.
With the old chartered of democracy long buried under the debris of Zardari-Nawaz unholy parleys, or the day LFO-marred judges were restored, Achakzai has certainly set the tone for a new one. And that too, on a single point agenda of not entertaining anyone who breaches the constitution or even those who had helped him in doing so. He rightly pointed out without singling out anyone that despite showing and uttering their love for democracy they have harboured lackeys of the past dictators in their parties.
Nawaz League was the first one to react through Khawaja Asif by fully endorsing the Pakhtoon nationalist from Baloch lands. But perhaps the deep fissures within the party, over the issue of ministries or may be Riaz Malik, soon prompted Chaudhry Nisar to take the floor just to add another punch to what Asif had mentioned earlier.
As the voting for the election of speaker and deputy speaker was going on, a Karachite belonging to obviously a linguistic-specific party representing them in the upper house invited a group of journos for a cup of tea. The mission was simple to water the seed planted by his leader on the very eve of polling regarding the Punjab centric mandate of Mian Sahb. Listening to all such arguments about the past practices and stuffing of the cabinet and the top offices of the federation with a certain linguistic background proved one thing that opposition is out there to do the lobbying right from the outset. They are not wasting anytime and any occasion to highlight this aspect of Nawaz League.
Nevertheless, Nawaz League earned praises from almost everyone out there for Dr Maalik’s decision and also for the fact that they turned down the temptation of forming a government in KP proposed to them by JUI chief, Maulana Fazlur Rehman. Certainly everyone including the bureaucratic galleries were talking more about the man of the moment than his acts. “So far it’s been quite atypical, but still majority of us are waiting for the post 5th June scenario, when the man officially takes charge of the prime minister,” commented one senior official awaiting his fate while seeking anonymity. And it’s not the bureaucracy alone but as Farooq Sattar had hinted the opposition, the media houses and even business community is watching with dropped jaws that will they be able to see a changed man in the top office or just a changed plan? A million dollar question at this time in point.

Chairman calms down a mini battle at PTV by removing MD

• Friday, 31 May 2013 00:00
• Written by  The Spokesman

SAEED MINHAS

ISLAMABAD: State run television PTV yet again witnessed a mini battle on Friday, which eventually was won over by secretary information, Agha Nadeem by the end of the day as he relieved Managing Director (MD), Engineer Mustafa Kamal of his duties and restored director Programs, Sajjad Ahmed on his seat. Allegations continue to be hurled through- out the day in treacherous building belly of PTV Islamabad by the supporter of each group against the others. They were accus- ing each other of violating the court orders, transgressing their respective jurisdiction, victimizing the director programs for not towing the line of MD, getting under the in- fluence of kickbacks mafias of private pro- duction houses and so on and so forth. The drama unfolded when director pro- gramming, Sajjad Ahmed received an order from MD, Mustafa Kamal for his transfer to the post of controller programming. MD has appointed Syed Shakir Uzair against this va- cated post. Ironically, Sajjad had himself posted Syed Qaiser Ali Shah against the va- cant post of controller programming just a few days back. But MD still sent him to a post where there was no vacancy. Meanwhile, sources close to Mustafa Kamal revealed that Sajjad Ahmed was re- moved for his involvement in the dodgy deals of buying private productions from a mafia of independent producers against hefty kick backs. It is interesting that despite having huge infrastructure and state of the art production facilities; PTV has stopped in-house production to facilitate private in- vestors to make hefty money on their aver- age dramas by dealing with the evaluation committees of the past.

Shahid Nadeem and then Hammad Ghaz- navi remained deputy managing directors in the past five years of PPP government and were responsible for finalizing the deals with the private production houses in their ca- pacity as head of evaluation committee of PTV. It was during Hammad Ghaznavi’s tenure that a drama which failed to attract any noticeable revenue or audience for PTV Home during its 13 episode contract was given an extension for 104 episodes. Sources believe that kickbacks ranging in millions exchanged hands in this one episode alone. They believe that under the same evalua- tion committee of the past, Hammad Ghaznivi and company rejected a drama, which is currently rated as top three dramas on the circuit after being picked up by a pri- vate TV channel (Hum TV). A number of such exchanges are also associated with Shahid Nadeem who happens to be the hus- band of a known TV artist from Lahore. When contacted Sajjad Ahmed refused to comment by saying that he has got nothing to do with anything and would not to talk on
this issue. However, independent sources believe that Sajjad is the only one in 13-member of board of directors from Balochistan and en- joys good reputation for streamlining the revenues and in-house productions. They revealed that Sajjad has increased the PTV Home’s revenue within a short span of time from few millions a month to Rs 13 million per day by picking up quality dramas from the market and increasing the low cost in- house productions. They said that as per sta- tistics in-house production of PTV now stands at 46 per cent of the whole content shown on PTV Home as compared to only 14 per cent during Hammad Ghaznavi and Shahid Nadeem’s tenures. Another proof presented in favour of Saj- jad was that he helped reform the evaluation committee by bringing in top professionals like Jamal Shah, Dr Tariq Aziz, Tauqeer Nasir, ISPR’s Brig. Yahya and even Samar Minallah. As PTV was sizzling hot with all these ac- cusations and counter allegations, evening
ushered another twist in this drama. Secre- tary Information Agha Nadeem, an MDG officer, after getting information of the lat- est orders of MD PTV without his approval sought an inquiry into the matter. Agha Nadeem could not be reached for any com- ments but senior officials at ministry of in- formation disclosed some interesting facts but only on condition of anonymity. They said that MD PTV was given an ad hoc charge and as per orders of the Islam- abad High Court (IHC) in the removal of Yusuf Baig Mirza case, Mustafa Kamal was given the task to run day to day affairs till a new MD is appointed through open compe- tition. Secretary information, by virtue of his office is also the chairman of the PTV. Therefore, they believe that MD was not au- thorized to transfer a director without seek- ing the approval of the chairman of board of directors. Since, such a transfer order was vi- olating the orders of IHC, therefore, chair- man had to ask acting MD to relieve his charge and handover the reigns of PTV to the chairman’s office. Ever since the removal of Yusuf Baig Mirza from the post of MD PTV by Court  in April this year, Mustafa Kamal had sacked over 200 employees from the PTV world besides sending many politically and highly paid re- cruits home which were hired by YBM dur- ing his four year rule on PTV empire. Removal of the acting MD is considered by many in PTV just another episode of an un- ending drama. They believe that with Nawaz Sharif government about to take oath of of- fice, seats like chairman, MD and even DMD will be filled by some new politically favoured cronies of the new regime. There- fore, they are expecting yet another spinning of the wheel and a game of chairs in the coming days if not weeks.

Prime Minister Khoso pokes into PTV mudslinging game

PM Khoso jumps into the array by twisting Supreme Court Orders

SAEED MINHAS

ISLAMABAD: A one-on-one interview for the state run Pakistan Television during prime time was enough for the caretaker Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso to turn the tables on chairman of the PTV board and revert his orders of sidelining the officiating managing director Qazi Mustafa Kamal thus initiating a roller coaster of a ride for at least a dozen officials. A superior Court’s orders to declare transfers and postings by the caretaker prime minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso illegal have become such a discretionary tool in the hands of PM’s PS Khawaja Siddique Akbar that even Mir Khoso seems to be oblivious of these facts, revealed the sources in the make-shift PM House. This is not a plot of a TV serial but a summary of an ongoing power game in the state run Pakistan Television Corporation known as PTV. We revealed the first episode of this game yesterday where chairman of the corporation managed to win the first round by relieving the acting MD of PTV for failing to follow the ruling of Islamabad High Court (IHC).  Islamabad court had removed the then Managing Director Yusuf Baig Mirza (YBM) was sent home for occupying the seat for over four years without qualifying for the position through an open merit selection. Now officiaiting MD is back, riding on the misconstrued orders of Supreme Court whereby trafsfers made by PM were revoked but routine reshuffling was allowed to keep the organizations running smooth. Officiating MD PTV Qazi Kamal was relieved of his duties by the chairman of the board of directors of PTV on Fridayevening. Federal Secretary Information, Agha
Nadeem happens to be the chairman of the 13-member board of directors of PTV by virtue of his office. Chairman had retrieved the charge of MD from Qazi Kamal on the basis of trespassing the orders of the Islamabad High Court (IHC). The court according to the officials of the ministry has clearly asked Qazi to perform day to day functions of the PTV until a new MD is appointed after properly advertising the post and scrutinizing the candidates for their relevant qualifications. Contrary to the orders of IHC, officiating MD was found orchestrating an advertisement in the media for a permanent MD just to accommodate himself, revealed the insiders. Qualifications sought for the new MD were considered a joke by many in the media industry as it asked for more administrative experience than technical expertise to run multiple TV channel s. Ignoring the orders of the IHC and even of Supreme Court, officials further revealed, officiating MD was found victimizing officers by transferring them without following proper procedure of putting up the cases to the board of directors or to the chairman. PTV officials privy to these developments informed that officiating MD was interested in making some back door deals with private production houses and was asking the concerned officials of the evaluation committee to bypass the routine procedures and let him collect the mini serials for PTV Home. Evaluation Committee is supposed to review the productions before accepting them. However, when the director programming, Sajjad Ahmed argued, he was transferred to a post which was not even vacant, thus leaving two officers on same post. An official which had
lesser qualification and counterfeited age credentials was instead appointed as director programming by Kamal on Friday to ensure that his deals remain on line and intact, disclosed the PTV officials. The matter was brought to the notice of the chairman, who after seeking explanation had to ask Qazi Mustafa Kamal to return the charge of MD to chairman’s office without transferring him to any other office. The twist to this tale came when Mustafa Kamal asked the director news in PTV to run his tickers that he will continue to hold the charge of his office despite orders of the chairman of the board. Failing which, Qazi Kamal approached the caretaker prime minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso on
the pretext of interviewing him just on the eve of his departure from caretaker responsibilities. Instrumental in this regard was Agha Masood Shoorsh—a crony of the past government and has survived all the purging of the courts due to his high connections despite being a daily wager and holding a director’s position.   Khawaja Siddique Akbar, PS to caretaker prime minister, who happened to have misled Mir Hazar Khan Khoso on transferring several MDs and later eat the humble pie because of the court’s intervention, masterminded the restoration orders of Qazi Kamal on his old post, informed sources in PM House.  Ironically, officiating MD Qazi Kamal and Agha Shorsh designed the
PM’s interview with the help of a lawyer, Arif chaudhry. Therefore, none of the routine anchors or professional host from PTV was taken along rather hosting of interview was assigned to an amateur Arif Chaudhry. While the interview was going on, Siddique Akbar was finalizing the terms and conditions with Agha Shorsh and Qazi Kamal, informed the staff of PM House. Misleading the prime minister, Khawaja Siddique Akbar maneuvered once again and made the prime minuster to believe that even this internal matter of PTV falls under the preview of PM House. Reasons cited to restore Qazi Mustafa Kamal and over write the orders of the chairman in contravention of the rules of procedures was Supreme Court Orders of May 2013, whereby Courts had stopped the caretaker PM from replacing the policy makers of public entities. The court has also stated in the same orders that routine transfers and postings with a reason can be carried out as per routine. However, Khawaja Siddique finally convinced the PM Lhoso to sign the restoration orders of Qazi. The saga just did not end there. Qazi Mustafa soon after returning to the office on evening of Saturday, removed director news PTV and incharge of PTV world for not obeying his orders fo running a tickers in his favour the last night. The buck did not stop there, another director was removed from his post and demoted as controller while an ex cadre officer Butter was elevated to take charge of oifficiating director news of PTV. The onslaught of Qazi Kamal is still going on and we will come back with the rest of his orders in our next episode. However, when contacted Qazi was not available for comments and niehter was Agha Shorsh or Arif Chaudhry.

Press Gallery: A curtailed honeymoon for Lions begins

A curtailed honeymoon for Lions begins

Saeed Minhas

ISLAMABAD: A fresh assembly takes oath and leader of single largest party in the 14th National Assembly, Mian Nawaz Sharif takes a fresh start laden with high hopes. He is scheduled to get the assembly’s nod as PM on coming Wednesday and then the oath of his third time premiership from President Zardari to officially launch his slim cabinet with a broad agenda.

Galleries were packed on Saturday; literally with cubs of the party in a similar fashion jiyalas had crowded the rows in 2008. It was as chaotic as it was when Yusuf Gilani and company were seen for the first time with raised chins and jaw-breaking broad smiles at that time. Of course there was a difference; slogans raised in the galleries by charged crowd this time were about ‘Lion’ as compared to Bhutto’s five years ago. Since Bhuttos’ have evaporated into thin air thanks to presidency-centric politics of the party, Sharifs are once again in the business with an unusual sobriety and calmness. Another difference which remained quite noticeable was a smiling presence of Maryam instead of her husband Safdar—daughter and son in law of Mian Sahib, respectively.
Talks of honeymoon period were very much in the air all around us as we saw Mian Nawaz Sharif and his kitchen cabinet moving in and out of assembly hall. Ahsan Iqbal, Khawaja Asif and even Saaqd Rafiq--the few of the potential faces in the expected cabinet of Nawaz Sharif--were seen talking about 90 days and even first year agenda of the government soon after forming the cabinet. Mian Sahb himself was looking quite serene because since elections he has been asking the voters to be more patient while asking for solutions to the lingering crisis like energy, economy and more so the worsening law and order situation.
Messages uttered in the heat of recent election campaign have already been considered null and void by the Leaguers. Quick shit chat with some of them was enough to understand that they seem to be as lost in finding a road map to recovery as they were in 1997 when they assumed the reigns of a near bankrupt government with a two third majority. What and how that two third majority was packed up is an open secret now.
Simple majority they have now, which will bring them not only vote of confidence but also help them sail through their honeymoon period without much ado unless they launch themselves into a bulldozing mood, which unfortunately remains associated with them since their last outing in the power corridors. The reason is simple that they do not have majority in Senate, so they won’t be able to get any ordinary legislation through unless they develop a working relationship with those holding Sindh card.
Economy is yet another front where past policies of Ishaq Dar and company are still haunting the businessmen, investors and even stock exchange wheelers-dealers. With empty coffers, negligible tax base and crippling energy crisis, only option left for honeymooners seems to be external friends like America or Saudi kingdom unless they decide to go on Chinese and Iranian ferries. Any adventure on this front without Khakis is replete with all sorts of cut-off dangers.
On the internal front of the party, Mian Nawaz Sharif is facing a daunting task of picking up a slim but more importantly an efficient cabinet which can help him prove his credentials to all the internal and external guarantors, revealed the party sources. Chaudhry Nisar--the champion of Rawalpindi Garrisons-- is looking for his favourite petroleum ministry whereas Khawaja Asif happens to be considered for the same by leadership. Similarly, Ahsan Iqbal is looking to venture into foreign affairs whereas some senators are also vying for the same position. Competition on information ministry is even tense as Saad Rafiq, Pervaiz Rasheed and Mushahid Ullah are all expecting a call for this position, whereas Mian sahb is trying to think of a female information minister to give his party some sort of new/liberal look.
With all these daunting tasks on hand and balancing to do, many pundits believe that honeymoon for the Lions might not be longer than 30 days, therefore they have tighten their pants and start thinking hard for delivering on promises or waiting for the ultimate chaos.

Sharif to decide between the Judges and Mushy

• Published in Top stories

SAEED MINHAS 

With the waning of election fever in the country, lots of forgotten issues have started surfacing in the public domain and prominent of all those is the fate of former dictator Gen. (Retd) Pervaiz Musharraf. His main adversary, Nawaz Sharif- - whom he had sent packing to Saudi guarantors with a ten-years-politics-ban was heard saying loud and clear during his recent election campaign that “we will send a case of high treason against jailed Musharraf if voted to power”. In power, Nawaz Sharif stands with a comfortable majority over his political opponents and is sure to form his third government. Therefore, the question looming large in the debating circles of media and even PTI or more so amongst PPP jiyalas is that will Sharif be able to oblige the Supreme Court by letting his government to initiate a case against him. Or will he consider obliging the guarantors and the dominating institution of former dictator? A trial to determine whether Gen. Musharraf committed any treason by suspending the constitution and imposing emergency on November 3, 2007 is already underway in the Supreme Court. Constitutionally speaking, initiating a treason case remains the prerogative of the federal government and Courts can only determine whether the case fulfils the merits or not. Article 6 of the Constitution of Pakistan outlining the contours of a high treason reads that: (1) Any person who abrogates or attempts or conspires to abrogate, subverts or attempts or conspires to subvert the Constitution by use of force or show of force or by other unconstitutional means shall be guilty of high treason. (2) Any person aiding or abetting the acts mentioned in clause (1) shall
likewise be guilty of high treason. (2A)An act of high treason mentioned in clause (1) or clause (2) shall not be validated by any court including the Supreme Court and a High Court. (3) [Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament)] shall by law provide for the punishment of persons found guilty of high treason." A High Treason (Punishment) Act 1973 awards death penalty to anyone found guilty of treason or high treason. Though, this law has never been invoked and the prescribed sentence never awarded since its introduction. It was framed in pursuance of article 6 of the Constitution. The law reads: “A person, who is found guilty (a) of having committed an act of abrogation or subversion of a Constitution in force in Pakistan at any time since the twenty- third day of March 1956; or (b) of high treason as defined in article 6; (c) be punishable with death or imprisonment for life.” No matter, how Courts interpret these provisions of constitution and Act of parliament, but it seems quite obvious that
courts have to wait for the government of the day to initiate a case and then form a three member bench of no less than high court judges to dwell on that. Legal experts believe that it’s not just a matter of constitution or an act but it is more about the will of the federal government to put all such provisions into action. They also believe that in doing so government of the day have to think about the abettors of such a crime, which in this case might implicate many of the judges and army generals. The question might also pop up that why only 2007 and why not that of 1999, they argued. Putting this flurry of objections and counter objections aside, we have recently seen Supreme Court handing out a breather to Gen. Musharraf as caretaker government of Mir Hazar Khan Khoso refused to file charges against former dictator—supposedly for not getting clearance from GHQ and even the Gulf kingdoms. In a reply submitted to the Superior Court few weeks before the May 11 elections, caretaker administration had said “The
caretaker government should avoid taking any controversial step and should not commit any process that is not reversible by the incoming elected government.” Justice Jawad S Khwaja, who is the presiding judge, was quoted: “It appears that the government is determined not to take any legal action in this matter.” The case was adjourned and SC continued hearing the arguments from the concerned counsels of petitioner on it even after the caretakers’ negative response and now it is set to resume it after the elections. The ball, therefore, seems to have landed in the court of Nawaz Sharif--the prime minister designate. Supreme Court is likely to seek a response in this regard from a freshly ‘mandated’ government in the coming weeks because caretakers had refused to do so on the pretext that “we don’t have such a mandate”. Will he able to fulfill his personal desires of punishing his tormentor or not might become clear in few weeks time. Situation has become all the more interesting because knowing that the guarantors involved in the return of Musharraf are the same who helped Sharif’s’ rescue from the same General in 1999 when he was convicted under the same charges of high treason by the same courts. If Sharif lets him escape, the Courts who seems hungry for General’s skin might become antagonistic towards his third tenure in the office of PM, if he doesn’t than how will he respond to the Gulf Kingdoms and Castles in Rawalpindi. Besides, he will also have to care about his public stance on this issue because ever since he managed to come out of political cul-de-sac in Saudi Arabia and started political activities after five years of his muted exile, he has been on record seeking army’s confinement to barracks and blood of those who ousted his two-third- majority government. “It will be a paradoxical situation to handle for Mian sahib,” admitted one of his party stalwart while seeking anonymity.

Pakistan Elections 2013: Projected Results as of May 12, 2013 9 00 pm with a Pie Chart

Projected Results as of May 12, 2013 9 00 pm

Contesting Parties	National Assembly
Summary	260/272
PML(N)	128
PTI	33
PPPP	30
IND	25
MQM	13
PKMAP	9
PML-F	5
JUI(F)	4
JI	3
PML(Q)	2
BNP-A	2
NPP	1
PML Z	1
PML Q	1
SUP	1
QWP	1
ANP	1
QJP	0

Tough times ahead for the lions of Punjab

Saeed Minhas

 

Initial results have once again pitched the roaring lions of Punjab against competing political ideologies of Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhawa and Balochistan. By sweeping the Punjab’s National Assembly and provincial assembly seats, PML-N have established their rights for the premiership at the centre besides reclaiming the Khadam-e-Aala-ship of a politically dominating province.
It isn’t 1988 nor it is 1993 but for sure it is 2013 where for all practical purposes an unpredictable new actor rather a cricketer has entered the national scene as a third player, nationalists of Balochistan have come forward to pitch their case and PPP-MQM will of course be there to haunt Mian sahib with good-old memories.
Punjab is not Pakistan was the first commendation Mian sahib has received from none other than our telephonic leader sitting in North London (UK) supposedly his arch rival in politics - at least for the past decade.
Apart from who said that what is emerging out of the current election results is the fact that first thing Mian Nawaz Sharif has to counter is his Punjab-centric approach. As per the emerging results of Elections 2013, Sindh stands very much in the hands of PPP and its former ally MQM, where PML-N once again failed to make inroads despite forging an alliance with the Sindhi nationalist parties and pitching in some strong waderas against PPP and even MQM. Though PML-F remains a potent player in Sindh but they certainly are neither in a position nor will be a willing player to provide any political advantage to Mian sahib against the two dominating parties of the province. Especially when it comes to playing the provincial cards, Pagaro’s-men will love to lie low.
Looking at KP, Imran Khan’s party has surfaced as a potent player there. We all know that the only similarity between Imran and Nawaz Sharif has been their coincidentally joint take on the one-way pounding of Taliban. But when it comes to solutions, Mian sahib might look Saudi-way but Imran wants an outright end to unilateral drone strikes.
Balochistan is an altogether a new ball game where a hotchpotch nationalists and national parties will be coming up with a coalition government of competing ideologies. Mineral rich this province is, but at the same time it has proven out to a problem rich province in the past decade or so. Addressing to the unique demands and concerns of these nationalists and bringing the estranged and armed nationalists back to the mainstream with empty promises and nice talk does not seem to be a feasible strategy now.
Be it economy, power shortage, youth bulge, post-2014 foreign policy, army dominance, Baloch insurgency, terrorism or most important of all a national unity, we certainly are lacking in all these and many other spheres. These elections might have matured the voters by showing up in big numbers for casting their votes and rejecting the bad performers but has our leadership understood the dynamics of this development? We hope and pray that they do and act accordingly.

Peer Sahib of Zardari Shareef believes Halwa Khao Maoj Manao

Peer Sahib of Zardari Shareef believes

Halwa Khao Maoj Manao

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Peer sahib has again asked his captive to keep his hopes alive because stars and dozens of daily sacrificial animals has dawned upon him one thing that no matter who takes the premiership he will elect him as president for the next term. Peer sahib is openly claiming that does not matter Imran or Sharif, “I can still he can see Zardari in the presidency”. How much Zardari believes him is not sure but one thing is proven that Mr. President has constantly been following his peer by sacrificing black animals and even staying away from hills whenever advised to do so. Yet jail days have taught him one lesson that keep all your options open and perhaps that’s the reason that he always keeps Bahria Malik’s chartered plane ready for an eventual take off to evergreen guarantor lands of Arabs.  But one saying of peer sahib seems to be holding him from fleeing and that is the prediction that out of Imran and Nawaz clash he would still have enough seats to set a bargaining table with any party. Peer is sure that out of two parties clash his mentor will get enough of seats to seek another five year term in office. Though our secret Babus disagree with that but they for all odd reasons seem to reflect the same findings in their reports sent to their chiefs these days. Peer sahib meanwhile is learnt to have been grilled by several of these secret Babus and are unable to find more than this that “Halwa Khao, Maoj Manao (eat sweetener and have fun).  

Venom Inc. This should not be held against me in a court of law as I solemnly declare that these are absolute lies, dirty whispers and wild speculation that I have heard while crawling in the dark power corridors of the creepy Capital. You will believe them at your own risk Shh...If you have venom to spill please don’t hesitate to share with us on our blog at www.thespokesman.pk