Loud Thinking

Posts Tagged ‘Pakistan’

Now, after wasting almost a year’s time, the government of Pakistan is again active in proceeding with the telecom auction of 3G spectrum. However, this time GOP or PTA has appointed three consultants for advising on the whole process of auction to ensure transparency (as being told to the general public).

In this regard, we invite the attention of all stake holders of this telecom auction, to the pit falls of the previous IM (information memorandum); and the terms of tender documents duly elaborated in my February 2012 open letter to the then PM Pakistan, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, reproduced as below for the benefit of the all concerned, to ensure that Pakistan is not cheated in the ensuing 3G telecom auction, planned in the coming weeks and months. Plus the mew IM must mention that any telecom company like Etisalat, will not be allowed to participate in the bidding process of the auction, if it is a defaulter of the GOP, notwithstanding the fact that it has gone to the court or got an stay order etc. Any such party must deposit the outstanding amount in lump sum. However, if at any later stage, the defaulting company gets courts order in its favour, the GOP must be bound to immediately return the disputed amount.

$10 Billion Impending 3G Auction Scam – My Open Letter to PM in February 2012, Still Relevant Today.

Honourable Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani,

AoA.

It will not be out of place to begin with a news item published in the news papers today i.e., Wednesday 1 Feb. 2012, stating that the Indian Supreme Court warned on Tuesday that corruption posed a “grave danger” to the world’s largest democracy quoted as below. Quote ” Today corruption in our country not only poses a grave danger for the concept of constitutional governance, it also threatens the very foundation of Indian democracy and the rule of law.” Unquote. The above was said by Justice A.K. Ganguly, while delivering a ruling in connection with the alleged underpriced selling of telecom licenses, which the national auditors says may have cost the country up to $39 billion.

An excerpt from a Times of India news published on Wednesday, 2nd Feb. 2012 is also given below for the information of Mr. Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Finance Minister of Pakistan, who says he expects only $800 million from the COMBINED telecom auction of 3G, (4G LTE) and (5G LTE-A.) (India got IRS69 billion for ONLY 3G, exactly two years ago, as per TOI news quoted below.

“The 122 licences were given by Raja for over IRs 9,000 crore, while 3G auctions for a smaller number of licences had fetched the government a sum of IRs 69,000 crores.”

In the same context of selling of telecom licenses in Pakistan, a mega scandal is also brewing, for which your kind attention is invited to immediately intervene, so that the nefarious designs of unscrupulous elements to defame the PPP and its government, is nipped in the bud.

DETAILS OF THE CASE

With the recent publication of the advertisement of PTA in the news papers for “Invitation for Expression of Interest” (EOI) with application for AUCTION of Mobile License/Spectrum (3G/4G/LTE [long term evolution] etc), the following questions needs answers to safeguard the national interest by all and sundry.

1. Why the LOW base price of US $ 155 Million for one Mobile Cellular License/Spectrum (800 MHz), when this license was sold for 291 US $ Million eight years ago in the year 2004? OK, it is being auctioned for 8 years instead of 15 years, but is there no premium for above 68 % mobile teledensity which was not there eight years ago?

2. Why the license will be technology neutral? Which means no licenses will be required for any future launches of 4G, 5G so on so forth. this also means selling all future long term evolution inductions free of cost. This happens no where in the world. Even in Pakistan when 2G was sold in 2004, it was not permitted to launch 3G without fresh license. So why now 4G onwards is being sold free of cost?

3.i. Why the LOW base price of US $ 210 Million for the auction of Three Mobile Cellular Licenses/Spectrum (1900/211MHz/3G/4G/LTE etc.)?

3.ii. Here it should be noted that 2G license was auctioned by PTA in 2004 at US $ 291 Million, when there was much less teledensity than 68% as of now and in the next 15 years (the period for which new licenses are being auctioned), it will obviously increase to higher levels.

3.iii. And above all this auction is technology neutral, which means license for 3G is also valid for FREE for 4G, 5G onwards. Under this situation this base price of US $ 210 Million is ridiculously low.

4. As per IM (Information Memorandum) on PTA website all three telecom companies winning the technology neutral AUCTION of Mobile License/Spectrum (3G/4G/LTE [long term evolution] etc) will be required to pay half of the bid value within 30 days in USD or PKR. Also Rest of the amount can be paid in USD or PKR in five equal yearly installments. This virtually means that Telecom companies will NOT bring any fresh foreign investment and also the remaining 50% amount will be deposited on PAY AS YOU EARN basis. This tantamount to robbing the nation of valuable FDI in the garb of auction terms, particularly when bidding is only allowed in minimum 2 million USD and maximum 10 million USD. So when bidding is in USD, then why NOT payment should also be in USD?

5. Why PTA has shown less figures of total Teledensity of Pakistan (68.39) in 2010-11 at para 3.7 of (IM [information memorandum] on its website) whereas, according to its own figures in the graph shown in the para 3.7, the total comes to (68.43)?

6. Why the PTA advertisement published in the news papers of 24 January, 2012 states mobile teledensity as 62% against the figures of 64.9% shown in IM at their website?

7. Indian economy is about 7-9 times bigger than Pakistan, but it got IRS69 billion, that too, in April 2010, from it’s auction of ONLY 3G. Why our Finance Minister has kept a budgeted amount of ONLY $800 million as expected income from the auction of NOT only 3G but 4 & 5G as well?

Submitted for consideration and immediate corrective action before it is too late.

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It was reported recently on a TV channel, that Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh expects 800 million USD revenue, from the auction of 3G (fast Internet) license to telecom companies.

It is also reported that government has fixed the base price for auction to held on March 28 and 29, 2012 for 3G and 4G as 210 million USD. Whereas, 8 years ago 2G was sold at 291 million USD. (Please check and confirm this data from PTA).

Here, I must forewarn all and sundry, that under no circumstances, the worth of this auction amount can be less than 10 billion dollars. India got IRS69 billion from the same auction in April 2010 i.e. two years ago. Details are available at link:- https://www.snayyar.com/3g-telecom-technology-pakistan-can-earn-billions-of-usd-by-just-selling-air.html.

It will not be out of place to state that as reported today i.e., Wednesday 1 Feb. 2012 the Indian Supreme Court warned on Tuesday that corruption posed a “grave danger” to the world’s largest democracy quoted as above.

All patriotic citizens and institutions must be alert, lest we may not be cheated again, by those who sold our valuable national assets, for even less than the peanuts, in Musharraf era.

IS THIS THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF ISLAMABAD OR OF PAKISTAN?

The National Assembly of Pakistan has at last unanimously passed the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Bill 2012; which is related to free and compulsory education for all the children from the age of five to sixteen, as a fundamental right; and its provision is a responsibility of the state. 

However, our NA passed the aforesaid bill which is only applicable to the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT). Now the general public is right in  asking the question to the Pakistani National Assembly members, whether other areas of the country does not come under the Parliament? And why they have limited the partial and vital scope of the bill to the capital areas of Islamabad only. 

The bill also bounds private schools. to give free education to 10% of the poor children in the vicinity of their school. In India. this ratio is 25% and since, we are much behind India and all other SAARC nations in the field of education, this percentage at least should have been 30%, and that too FOR SCHOOLS ALL OVER PAKISTAN AND NOT ONLY IN ISLAMABAD. IS THIS THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF ISLAMABAD OR OF PAKISTAN?

May be, our NA members are afraid of the private schools owners? So much for the love of the poor, by our parliamentarians.

May be, such performances of our Parliamentarians has created hatred for politicians and democracy in the minds of the general public, which always, repeat always welcomes military takeovers in Pakistan.

Now our economic malaise has reached such a stage that business as usual, is going to jeopardise our statehood, not in years, but in months.

The degree of the sovereignty of a country, is directly proportional to the state of the economy of that nation. Actually, in constant growth & development lies our salvation. Secondly, we Pakistanis must know, that without any doubt, the …

Look at the level and difference of Pakistani government’s slavery to America, compared with Afghanistans.
Afghanistan’s government, which is an occupied country, stopped NATO supplies for 17 days (July 22 to August 07) into their own country from Pakistan, for non payment of a paltry sum of Rs.80 million i.e. Pak Rupees 8 Crore. 
In contrast to the Afghan government’s action stated above, Pakistani government doesn’t even thought of stopping NATO supplies, for the years of over due payments, of billions of US dollars. 
Even now, the US has not paid any amount, due since last June 2011. 
Under the circumstances, it can be easily said that, Pakistani government of a nuclear nation, has allowed the US to treat Pakistan, worse than the occupied Afghanistan, which doesn’t even have a regular army.
The moral of the story :- The sovereignty of a nation is not dependent on the nuclear power or the strength of its armed forces, rather, on the guts of the government.

Link :- http://dawn.com/2012/08/09/afghanistan-restores-nato-supplies/

QUETTA: The Afghan authorities restored on Wednesday Nato supplies after private companies paid a customs duty of Rs80 million.

Nanhiali Faizi, a senior official of Afghan Customs, said the issue had been settled and now there was no restriction on the entry of Nato containers into Afghanistan.

Later, 20 containers were allowed to cross the Chaman border into Afghanistan.

Pakistani officials in Chaman confirmed that the Afghan authorities had restored Nato supplies.

Afghanistan had put restrictions on the entry of Nato containers on July 22 for non-payment of duty.—Staff Correspondent (DAWN).

Nation Calling PCB to Answer 7 Questions 

1.Chief Selector Iqbal Qasim, says that Abdul Razzaq, Imran Nazir & Kamran Akmal  were selected on the basis of experience, then why Raza Hassan selected  over EXPERIENCED Abdul Rehman?

2. The worthy genius chief selector further said, that Asad Shafiq was selected on the basis of his performances in Sri Lankan Test matches series. However, he should know that it is going to be a T20 world cup. And if there is no difference between the two games, why separate teams and  captains for the two formats? Moreover, if performances in the Test matches were the criteria, then who performed better than Junaid in Test matches? and who performed worse than Sami? So, why Junaid excluded from the team and Sami included?

3. And taking the overseas performances as  a basis of selection for Abdul Razzaq, who else performed better than Azhar Mahmood as an all rounder in BPL and IPL? Similarly, Shahzad was the best Pakistani fielder in ODI world cup held in 2011, in India, BD & SL. Plus, he was the most outstanding and destructive batsman in BPL, why he has been given a bad name for axing from the selection? 

4. Just give one reason for the selection of  spent cartridge Shoaib Malik, rated as the most pathetic performer in T20  INTERNATIONAL games, and also give one reason for non-selection of Wahab Riaz.

5. Similarly, every expert says that technically and in all other aspects, Adnan Akmal is a better wicket keeper than Kamran Akmal, who is too much over weight also; then why drop Adnan Akmal, who also batted exceptionally well, in SL Test series?

6. Why there is an emphasis on old spent cartridges rather than fresh legs and promising players.

7. Why the team has been selected in a great haste when there was time till 18, August 2012?

This chief selector previously resigned when Pakistani teams selected by  him consecutively lost 14 matches. The Team Pakistan is not the chief selectors personal or his fathers team. 

Since its a national matter, Pakistani public demands from the chairman PCB to personally answer the above questions, for the satisfaction of the Pakistani cricket lovers all over the world.

How to involve public in increasing tax collection.

Without going into big preamble, I would jot down my suggestions for evolving a national culture of tax payment.

It is most difficult part in any culture to motivate its people to pay tax voluntarily. However, when tax burden, its collection and utilization is made equitable and transparent, majority of people, if not all, would pay their taxes on time and in full.

Although my suggestions would not cover all aspects, yet, when implemented these would definitely prove a major step forward towards establishing a society which pay its tax and feel proud of their contribution.
 
1.       Recognize tax payers and their contribution by:
 
a)      All those who pay personal income tax > Rs. 2.5 million in any one year should be on the list of invitees at President’s  receptions. While all those who pay personal income tax > 1.0 million in any one year should be on the list of invitees at Governor’s receptions.
 
b)      All those who pay personal income tax above Rs. 1.0 million in a year should be honored by nation by allowing them to fly national flag on their motor vehicles and at their residences.
 
c)       Honorary magistrates should be appointed from the list of those who have paid personal income tax above Rs. 0.5 million.
 
d)      Contribution of all personal income tax payers should be recognized by giving them national awards on 23rd March. Suggestions for honor list are:

Personal income tax payment > 5.0 million for 3 years consecutive – Nishan-e Kidmat
Personal income tax payment > 2.5 million for 3 years consecutive – Hilal-e- Kidmat   
Personal income tax payment > 1.0 million for 3 years consecutive – Sitara-e-Kidmat
Personal income tax payment > 0.5 million for 3 years consecutive – Tamgha-e- Kidmat
 
e)      All those citizens paying personal income tax > 1.0 million in any one year should be allowed one free arms license up to a maximum of three licenses.
 
f)       All registered income tax payers should be allowed free registration at NADRA for NIC renewal/reissue.
 
g)      Driving License fee of all registered personal income tax payers should be abolished.
 
h)      All income tax payers should be allowed 25% rebate in car/motorcycle registration at the time of purchase, and 50% rebate for annual registration after they have paid income tax for three consecutive years.
 
i)        All those who have paid personal income tax above Rs. 100,000 should be allowed free of cost new passport or renewal.
 
j)        When appointing members of board of governors of banks/corporate bodies/Government institutions/University Syndicates, these should be selected from the list of citizens who pay personal annual income tax above Rs. 1.0 million.
 
k)      All those Pakistanis sending remittances from abroad should also be recognized for their contributions. Some suggestions are:
 
1)      All those who remit more than $10,000, should be allowed to recommend one of their family member in Pakistan for one free arm license.

2)      All those who remit more than $25,000 should be allowed free passport renewal.

3)      All those who remit $10,000 or more, should be given 2.5% bonus (or Rs.2.50 per dollar) as incentive to use official channels. This incentive should be paid as certificates of investment, cashable after five years. These certificates should carry 10% annual profit and be tradable on stock exchanges.

4)       All those who have remitted $1.0 million or more in a year, should be allowed to hoist national flag on their homes in Pakistan.
 
l)        Peace and Harmony committees should be formulated at police station level. Only income tax payers should be included as private members in these committees.
 
m)    It should be made mandatory for all public office holders and all government employees to get personal income tax registration, even if their total income is less than minimum level. 
 
n)      It should be mandatory for all business accounts to provide national tax number. No bank should be allowed to operate any business account without NTN. All new firms, should be required to provide NTN within 90 days, otherwise their account should be frozen automatically.
 
o)      All bank accounts where credit or debit balance exceeds Rs. 500,000 should automatically (same day) be reported to Income Tax department, unless banks already have NTN in their possession. This includes all type of investments, as well. In case of default, banks/investment institutes  should be heavily penalized.
 
p)      No property (plot/shop/flat/house/farm/agri land etc) should be registered without NTN of buyer.
 
q)      No motor vehicle should be registered without NTN of buyer.
 
r)       Retired persons with no income, continue to file their income tax returns for three years. This should be abolished. Need to file return after retirement should be finished. However, their NTN should be kept alive/valid throughout their life like NIC.
 
2.       Tax collection system should be reformed. Apart from detailed overhauling of FBR, following changes should be announced immediately:

a)      Chairman FBR should be an eminent person without any political affiliation and with experience of business management. He should be selected from private corporate sector. Appointment of Chairman should be for one term three years.

b)      FBR should be given constitutional autonomy in operational matters.

c)       An FBR Supervisory Board should be constituted whose remit should be to quarterly review FBR’s working and submission of quarterly reports to government of its findings and recommendations. This report should simultaneously be published on internet. This board should consist of Finance Secretaries of Pakistan and all provinces, Auditor General of Pakistan, two prominent chartered accountants (non-political) from private sector, Leaders of Opposition in Senate and National Assembly, Chairman Public Accounts Committee.

A Practical Solution for Saving Pakistan.

Somehow, I have a hunch feeling that if, at the time of partition, our leaders had decided that Eastern Pakistan and Western Pakistan, will be two autonomous units of a confederation of Pakistan, it would been a very fruitful and beneficial decision, both politically and economically, for the Crores of Muslim population, in this part of the world. 

Anyway, it is always easier to be wise after the event. But the decisions of history always teach us some lessons, for our correct guidance and right decision making for the future.

Now after sixty five years of age, Pakistan is a more fragmented society than our forefathers could have ever imagined. It looks that polarization is so intense that if, immediate corrective steps are not taken, that too, on a collective basis, God forbid, this great country may not be confined to the dust bin of history. There are signs for all to see, of the decadence of Pakistani society, in every sphere of life, be it the political, economical, educational, industrial, agricultural,  religious, law & order or any other segment worth naming. Hardly, any day passes without reports  of  suicides due to the economic hardships of the poor and hapless people.  The ever widening gap in the fractured society, is there to see for all and sundry. In fact, Pakistan is slowly inching towards economic bankruptcy and civil war. 

Now, in order to stem the rot, may be, we have one last chance, to unite the people and give them a prescription, to rise again and build the nation from the ashes.

All stake holders of Pakistan, must open their eyes immediately, as the nation is moving towards fragmentation and into an abyss, as well. 

Our survival is directly linked with the existence of the nation. Hence, for all Pakistanis, failure is NOT an option.

In this regard, I would like to suggest that, let us formulate a new social contract (specially designed for the 95% have nots) for the PEOPLE of Pakistan, which should take care of 95% down trodden, poor people who always pay 100% bills and taxes and never default on bank loans. Let us make a new Pakistan, which is redesigned to practically cater to needs of the exploited masses, in true sense.

In order to achieve the above objectives, it is proposed that the following steps may be initiated jointly, by ALL the organs of Pakistani government, opposition (in & out side the assemblies), bench and bar, civil & military bureaucracy, all students and trade unions and representatives of the civil societity.

1. Constitution may be amended to change the current faulty election system, which ensures the rule of minority over majority.

2. The election system should also be changed in a way, so that the whole country directly votes for a President or the P.M. However, before the voting, the candidates of all the political parties for this top post, must notify a list of their MPA’s, MNA’s and Senators, who will be automatically considered elected according to percentage of votes cast, in favour of the main candidate for the top post of the country. For example, if a candidate for the top post gets 35% votes, his team’s 35% (from top of the list) candidates will be deemed to have been elected, for all the assemblies and senate, as well. 

3. The decision for Pakistan’s charter of  development  (for building dams & mega projects, educational, industrial, infra structural & communications, religious, agricultural, science & technology, poverty eradication, health and defense policy ), for the next fifty years, should also be finalized, on which later on, no politics shall be allowed. In other words, the entire representatives of the nation should decide now, where they would like to see Pakistan, in each and every field of life, after 50 years.

4. In order to decentralize and empower maximum number of people, to enjoy the fruits of self rule, we should convert every division of Pakistan into a province. This will also work as a panacea for the eradication of linguistic and any other type of  frictions and doubts about hegemony of people, of certain big area, over the people of other smaller area. In fact, it will work wonders in the speedy development and unity of Pakistan and kill instantly, any secessionist or separatist activities (by marginalization and localization of such people having nefarious designs against Pakistan), currently prevailing  in some parts of the country.

Pakistan Paindabad.

A Proposal to Curb Increasing Acid Attacks.

It has been observed that acid attacks in Pakistan, mostly on women and occasionally on men, are being reported with increased frequency. Acid has turned into a deadly weapon of mass destruction.

It is such an abhorring crime that any amount of criticism is not sufficient to condemn it properly.

As such, it is proposed that with immediate effect, government should ensure that sale of acid is strictly banned through out Pakistan. And any person violating this ban, should be liable for DEATH penalty under the act of terrorism, trial for which should be held under Anti-Terrorism Courts.

Everybody knows that PCB had been burning midnight oil, for the last few months, to successfully materialize the planned tour of BD cricket team to Pakistan. In this regard, the BCB chairman’s statement speaks for itself, that he was fully satisfied with the proposed security plan for BD team, after personally viewing all the security arrangements, for matches in Karachi and Lahore. Now to put blame of all this fiasco on PCB is not only unfair, but harsh, as well. 

let me take the cat out of the bag, to tell the whole world, the real story of this botched attempt, to revive the international cricket in Pakistan, as below.

Actually, Pakistan is not hurt by the cancellation of the visit of the BD cricket team. The matter of extreme grief and shock was that BD government and the cricket board, first created a hype and then reneged on their promise, as if, they wanted to punish Pakistan, for its crime of helping BD, get the Test status. Also, it was Pakistan not India, whose contribution made the BPL  such a successful event.

Nevertheless, Pakistan will emerge even a stronger team in the coming days, but very soon, BD will rue it’s decision, of cheating Pakistan in such an unbecoming manner. BD should have had the guts, in the first place to say no, rather than backing out at the eleventh hour. Compared to the BD government, even Indians are better, that they have the guts, to say no.

One thing is confirmed now, that BD is surely a paper tiger. There was no need for such an intrigue, in saying no for the tour. BD had been toeing the line of Indian lobby, without realizing that India always treated BD like minions. BD was never invited by India, for a cricket series, since they got Test status, that too, courtesy Pakistan. 

We know very well, majority of the BD people love Pakistan and wanted the tour to go ahead, but the people at the helm of the government in BD, are known stooges of another country and never leave any doubt with their uttering and acts against Pakistan, to prove to their masters, that they are worthy puppets. Another recent example is, when BD told EU, that they have objections to Pakistan getting tax free access to EU countries, for two years. We also knew at that time, from where BD was speaking on this issue.

Any way, we still wish good luck to BD and it’s great people, as they have been made a stooge of India, not by the choice of it’s people, but by the intrigues of it’s traitor rulers.

Come on the rulers of BD, enough is enough, stand up and behave like a sovereign nation and at least pretend, that BD is not another province of India.

For Pakistan, world will see very soon, teams stronger than BD will be visiting here, sooner than later.

Pakistan will emerge even a stronger team in the coming days, but very soon, BD will rue it’s decision, of cheating Pakistan in such an unbecoming manner. BD should have had the guts, in the first place to say no, rather than backing out at the eleventh hour. 

One thing is confirmed now, that  BD is surely a paper tiger. There was no need for such an intrigue, in saying no for the tour. BD had been toeing the line of Indian lobby, without realizing that India always treated BD like minions. BD has never been invited by India for a cricket series, since they got Test status, that too, courtesy Pakistan. 

Any way, we still wish good luck to BD, as they have become a stooge of India, by choice.

For Pakistan, world will see very soon, teams stronger than BD will be visiting here, sooner than later.