Loud Thinking

Archive for the ‘My Views’ Category

Pakistan must take these fake Indian parliament and Mumbai attacks issue to the United Nations Security Council and demand an Indian apology.

India should also apologise with the family of Afzal Guru.

USA and NSG members must immediately terminate any civilian nuclear cooperation and Australia must cease uranium supplies to India for risking a nuclear war after raising a false flags not once but twice, of fake parliament and Mumbai attacks by the so called Pakistani terrorists.

The statements of Satish Verma and the 13 questions of A Roy totally corroborate to prove that Indian government brought the world to the brink of nuclear war not once but twice by manipulating false flag, may be it learned these tactics from the USA when Iraq was attacked on false flag of WMD’s.

First read this excerpt from Times of India dated 14 July, 2013.

A former home ministry officer has alleged that a member of the CBI-SIT team had accused incumbent governments of “orchestrating” the terror attack on Parliament and the 26/11 carnage in Mumbai.

R V S Mani, who as home ministry under-secretary signed the affidavits submitted in court in the alleged encounter case, has said that Satish Verma, until recently a part of the CBI-SIT probe team, told him that both the terror attacks were set up “with the objective of strengthening the counter-terror legislation (sic)”.

Mani has said that Verma “…narrated that the 13.12. 2001(attack on Parliament) was followed by Pota (Prevention of Terrorist Activities Act) and 26/11 2008 (terrorists’ siege of Mumbai) was followed by amendment to the UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act).”

The official has alleged Verma levelled the damaging charge while debunking IB’s inputs labelling the three killed with Ishrat in the June 2004 encounter as Lashkar terrorists.

Arundhati Roy’s 13 Questions about December 13:

Question 1: For months before the Attack on Parliament, both the government and the police had been saying that Parliament could be attacked. On December 12, 2001, at an informal meeting the Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee warned of an imminent attack on Parliament. On December 13, Parliament was attacked. Given that there was an ‘improved security drill’, how did a car bomb packed with explosives enter the parliament complex?

Question 2: Within days of the Attack, the Special Cell of Delhi Police said it was a meticulously planned joint operation of Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Toiba. They said the attack was led by a man called ‘Mohammad’ who was also involved in the hijacking of IC-814 in 1998. (This was later refuted by the CBI.) None of this was ever proved in the court. What evidence did the Special Cell have for its claim?

Question 3: The entire attack was recorded live on Close Circuit TV (CCTV). Congress Party MP Kapil Sibal demanded in Parliament that the CCTV recording be shown to the members. He was supported by the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Najma Heptullah, who said that there was confusion about the details of the event. The Chief Whip of the Congress Party, Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi, said: ‘I counted six men getting out of the car. But only five were killed. The close-circuit TV camera recording clearly showed the six men.’ If Dasmunshi was right, why did the police say that there were only five people in the car? Who was the sixth person? Where is he now? Why was the CCTV recording not produced by the prosecution as evidence in the trial? Why was it not released for public viewing?

Question 4: Why was Parliament adjourned after some of these questions were raised?

Question 5: A few days after December 13 attacks, the government declared that it had ‘incontrovertible evidence’ of Pakistan’s involvement in the attack, and announced a massive mobilisation of almost half-a-million soldiers to the Indo-Pakistan border. The subcontinent was pushed to the brink of nuclear war. Apart from Afzal’s ‘confession’, extracted under torture (and later set aside by the Supreme Court), what was the ‘incontrovertible evidence’?

Question 6: Is it true that the military mobilisation to the Pakistan border had begun long before the December 13 Attack?

Question 7: How much did this military standoff, which lasted for nearly a year, cost? How many soldiers died in the process? How many soldiers and civilians died because of mishandled landmines, and how many peasants lost their homes and land because trucks and tanks were rolling through their villages, and landmines were being planted in their fields?

Question 8: In a criminal investigation it is vital for the police to show how the evidence gathered at the scene of the attack led them to the accused. How did the police reach Mohammad Afzal? The Special Cell says SAR Geelani led them to Afzal. But the message to look out for Afzal was actually flashed to the Srinagar Police before Geelani was arrested. So how did the Special Cell connect Afzal to the 13 December Attack?

Question 9: The courts acknowledge that Afzal was a surrendered militant who was in regular contact with the security forces, particularly the Special Task Force (STF) of Jammu & Kashmir Police. How do the security forces explain the fact that a person under their surveillance was able to conspire in a major militant operation?

Question 10: Is it plausible that organizations like Lashkar-e-Toiba or Jaish-e-Mohammed would rely on a person who had been in and out of STF torture chambers, and was under constant police surveillance, as the principal link for a major operation?

Question 11: In his statement before the court, Afzal says that he was introduced to ‘Mohammed’ and instructed to take him to Delhi by a man called Tariq, who was working with the STF. Tariq was named in the police charge sheet. Who is Tariq and where is he now?

Question 12: On 19 December 2001, six days after the Parliament Attack, Police Commissioner, Thane (Maharashtra), S.M. Shangari identified one of the attackers killed in the Parliament Attack as Mohammad Yasin Fateh Mohammed (alias Abu Hamza) of the Lashkar-e-Toiba, who had been arrested in Mumbai in November 2000, and immediately handed over to the J&K Police. He gave detailed descriptions to support his statement. If Police Commissioner Shangari was right, how did Mohammad Yasin, a man in the custody of the J&K Police, end up participating in the Parliament Attack? If he was wrong, where is Mohammad Yasin now?

Question 13: Why is it that we still don’t know who the five dead ‘terrorists’ killed in the Parliament Attack are?

Our Lives Begin to End the Day We
Become Silent about Things that Matter.

~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Right Questions to Ask Your Data Analysts

In today’s business world, you’ve got to be data literate to succeed. If you aren’t trained in analytics, don’t fret. As a non-expert, you can play a critical role by asking your “quants” the tough questions. Here are a few that almost always lead to more rigorous, defensible analyses: Where did the data come from? How well does the sample represent the population? Does the data distribution include outliers? How did they affect the results? What assumptions are behind your analysis? Might certain conditions render your assumptions and your model invalid? Why did you decide on that particular analytical approach? What alternatives did you consider? If you don’t understand a reply to any of these, ask for one that uses simpler language.

Adapted from “Keep Up with Your Quants” by Thomas H. Davenport.

“It is not good enough to have a good mind; the main thing is
to use it well.”

— Rene Descartes

Pakistan sleeping with illiteracy

Education Emergency

An excellent letter by Mr. Imran Takkar, Peshawar, Published by the daily “Daily Times” on 16 July 13.

Sir: The fundamental role of education in contributing to the cognitive, emotional and intellectual development of a child cannot be overstated. Hence, the right to education has time and again been recognised an an essential right of all human beings. Furthermore, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UNESCO Convection against Discrimination in Education 1960, the International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 1966 and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 have all instituted the basic right of all individuals to get meaningful education. Pakistan, in addition to being a signatory to these conventions, has also endorsed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Education for All (EFA) goals. If we speak of education as being the right of an individual, our constitution regards it as a “fundamental right” but, unfortunately, in Pakistan, even after more than 60 years we lag far behind what could have been achieved. If we make the MDGs (of which Pakistan is a signatory) a benchmark to assess our education system, we may find startling figures. For instance, MDG goal number two says, “Ensure that by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling” but Pakistan still has one of the highest illiteracy rates in the world and the second largest out of school population, The number of out of school children is more than that of India, Ethiopia and even Nigeria. In the percentile literacy rate Pakistan even lags behind countries like Bangladesh and Nigeria.

The recently published annual report by the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC) shows that almost 25 million children and adolescents are out of school in Pakistan, out of which seven million (aged between three to five years) have yet to receive primary schooling. The poor state of education in the country is evident from Pakistan’s position on the Education Development Index where Pakistan is ranked at 113 out of 120 countries. With the current rate of progress, Pakistan will fail to reach the education related MDGs by 2015. The SPARC annual report further said that almost 12 million school going children are out of the school net, while last year, in April, UNICEF reported that around 7.3 million primary school going children were not going to school. It is estimated that girl children account for 4.21 million of the total.

So far, nothing has been done to reform the education system, despite the 18th Amendment, which made the provinces responsible for education up till higher secondary levels and made education free and compulsory for each child from ages five to sixteen. It has become evident that only making changes in the constitution and laws can never bring educational reforms. It needs real political will and practical intentions, i.e. investment in primary education needs to be increased substantially to attain prospective progress towards set targets and goals outlined in the MDGs and EFA initiatives. In this context, the importance of investing in primary education has been magnified in the aftermath of the 18th Amendment whereby access to primary education has been declared a fundamental right under Article 25 A of the constitution. Keeping in view the best interests of the child and a prosperous Pakistan, the current government should take effective administrative, financial and policy initiatives to upgrade and redesign the education structure according to the needs and requirements of the nation and the country. In fact, it has become a dire need to call an education emergency in the country; we need mass mobilisation of the general public as education is the basic step towards the country’s overall development.

Pakistan with illiteracy

Education Emergency

An excellent letter by Mr. Imran Takkar, Peshawar, Published by the daily “Daily Times” on 16 July 13.

Sir: The fundamental role of education in contributing to the cognitive, emotional and intellectual development of a child cannot be overstated. Hence, the right to education has time and again been recognised an an essential right of all human beings. Furthermore, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UNESCO Convection against Discrimination in Education 1960, the International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 1966 and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 have all instituted the basic right of all individuals to get meaningful education. Pakistan, in addition to being a signatory to these conventions, has also endorsed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Education for All (EFA) goals. If we speak of education as being the right of an individual, our constitution regards it as a “fundamental right” but, unfortunately, in Pakistan, even after more than 60 years we lag far behind what could have been achieved. If we make the MDGs (of which Pakistan is a signatory) a benchmark to assess our education system, we may find startling figures. For instance, MDG goal number two says, “Ensure that by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling” but Pakistan still has one of the highest illiteracy rates in the world and the second largest out of school population, The number of out of school children is more than that of India, Ethiopia and even Nigeria. In the percentile literacy rate Pakistan even lags behind countries like Bangladesh and Nigeria.

The recently published annual report by the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC) shows that almost 25 million children and adolescents are out of school in Pakistan, out of which seven million (aged between three to five years) have yet to receive primary schooling. The poor state of education in the country is evident from Pakistan’s position on the Education Development Index where Pakistan is ranked at 113 out of 120 countries. With the current rate of progress, Pakistan will fail to reach the education related MDGs by 2015. The SPARC annual report further said that almost 12 million school going children are out of the school net, while last year, in April, UNICEF reported that around 7.3 million primary school going children were not going to school. It is estimated that girl children account for 4.21 million of the total.

So far, nothing has been done to reform the education system, despite the 18th Amendment, which made the provinces responsible for education up till higher secondary levels and made education free and compulsory for each child from ages five to sixteen. It has become evident that only making changes in the constitution and laws can never bring educational reforms. It needs real political will and practical intentions, i.e. investment in primary education needs to be increased substantially to attain prospective progress towards set targets and goals outlined in the MDGs and EFA initiatives. In this context, the importance of investing in primary education has been magnified in the aftermath of the 18th Amendment whereby access to primary education has been declared a fundamental right under Article 25 A of the constitution. Keeping in view the best interests of the child and a prosperous Pakistan, the current government should take effective administrative, financial and policy initiatives to upgrade and redesign the education structure according to the needs and requirements of the nation and the country. In fact, it has become a dire need to call an education emergency in the country; we need mass mobilisation of the general public as education is the basic step towards the country’s overall development.

My two questions to Pak Foreign Office Spokesperson?

@PakSpokesperson when Pak govt will ask India to apologise over fake involvement of Pak on Mumbai & Parliament attack?

Any chance of taking taking up the most grave issue to UNSC which almost triggered a nuclear war? Or do u still think we were involved?

My two questions to Mr. M M Singh PM India?

@PMOIndia why Indian Govt is mum? Will u apologise to Pak? Indian Govt behind Parliament attack, Mumbai attack of 26. http://t.co/IjXShi9pe3

Building Pak Economy – Solid Suggestions

By Rizwan Ghani

Published by the daily “Pakistan Observer” 16 July, 2013

Government needs to take following steps after PM’s China visit to build Pakistan’s economy under its economic diplomacy.

Tax laws should be passed. Gwadar cannot become another Hong Kong with tax free zone. Investment of Chinese firms in US increased to $9.3bn in 2012 (cumulative $22.8 bn) from $1.77bn in 2007 due to advanced technology, management , and ease of business. Chinese investments are on the rise in US due to low costs of utilities, land use, green policies, US SelectUSA FDI initiative and Chinese government’s encouragement to domestic companies to invest abroad including US (More Chinese firms investing in US, July 9, China Daily). Islamabad needs to announce clear tax rates, anti-corruption policy and supporting infrastructure including courts and policing to investors to generate revenue from Gwadar instead funding private business and individual profits at the cost of public welfare and tax money.

Effective and accountable LG is must for strong economy. In Need for Neutral Monetary Policy (July 13, China Daily), it has been highlighted that local governments and poor banking practices have built China’s debt. The most significant medium- and long-term threat to China’s fiscal position lies in the system of implicit guarantees that the central government has established forlocal government (LG) debt ($1.7 tn) by 2011. It forced LG to sell their lands and central government to increase financial assistance by 78%, deal with shadow banking, resultant inflation and unemployment. Chinese government is using combination of steps to make LG viable and accountable such as cutting bank lending, transparency and zero tolerance for corruption. Pakistan needs to address these issues ahead of LG elections for sustainable economic growth, generation of jobs and revenue at grassroots.

Privatization has failed to build economies. China’s 64 State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) are inFortune 500. Central government’s 118 SOEs accounted for 43% of China’s GDP in 2012. There are 1,45,000 SOEs under local governments in China. The value of SOEs in China is 190bn yuan (Debate heats up on role of govt. giants, July 8, China Daily). Privatizations of SOEs in former USSR resulted in monopolies and 56 % increase in poverty. It also failed in Eastern Europe. British government spent £9bn to upgrade tracks and cut £3bn annual rail-access by half (£1,5bn) to attract £200 mn investment in British rail, but still it failed to reduce ticket prices. (Don’t be fooled …Virgin trains, June 24, the Guardian). Harbin province of China employs 7, 17,000 employees in 1800 SOEs and it earned 3.4bn yuan profit in 2012. SOEs are part of Beijing’s strategic planningincluding public welfare. Pakistan needs to reform SOEs instead of privatizing them to improve its economy, create and sustain jobs and save taxpayers for funding profits of privatized SOEs.

Pakistan needs to align its economic policies with new global development model. West’s trade liberalisation and financial deregulation systems have failed to deliver. China’s has used infrastructure and industrial policies under regulated trade and financial markets to transform its economy in last 30 years, and brought more than 600 million people out of poverty. Western policies, on the other hand have led to financial crises, slower growth, growing poverty, poor healthcare and education. Central Bank of China is lending more than World Bank for its policies without imposing conditions like liberalisation and fiscal austerity. If Chinese banks manage to incorporate environmental and social safeguards in their overseas operations it can boost global development (China’s dev banks…July 10, the Guardian).

Global poverty alleviation models can help revive Pakistan’s economy. China relocated 250 million people in last ten years under its poverty alleviation scheme. America used Homestead Law in 13 states under which state land was allotted to families as long as they continued to till it. There is a need to relocate 40-50 million people in KPK, Baluchistan, and Deserts of Sindh & Punjab to fight poverty, unemployment, and ensure food security through cultivation of unused land, value addition of agriculture, dairy, meat, poultry, fish, adopting renewable energy and vertical farming. Ethiopia expects to earn $2bn annually from sesame seed export to China by 2015 (Ethiopia’s sesame seed trade with China-a partnership of equals? July 10, the Guardian). It will help to end anti-state activities, improve security and become prosperous economy (Impact of changing demographics, July 10, China Daily).

SMEs, MSEs and alternate energy are the new future. Small and medium enterprises and micro and small enterprises are drivers of economy, generators of jobs and reducing poverty. Government can expand agriculture, manufacturing and services sector ten folds in next three years by ending indirect tax, imposing 7% stat tax on all earning and giving loans on 5% (EU, US interest rates). Government can realize this policy by generating 10GW power from alternate energy due to 10-15% annual decrease in its per unit cost. There are 13.7 million registered and 40.6 million self-employed companies in China in 2012. More than 99 percent of them were SMEs and MSEs. They contributed to more than 60 % of the annual GDP and 80 % of the jobs in cities (Thinking small begins to yield results, July 7, China Daily). SMEs part of China’s regional cooperation with 19 countries. Similarly, SMEs are the drivers of US and European economies. Pakistan needs to use country’s banking sector, universities, and local governments to use them in economic growth, job creation and social progress.

Determination is firmness of purpose.