Opinion Printline Pakistan
A register of reports and views from the Pakistan press
Talking with the bat
After much bad press,Pakistans papers were teeming with elation for their cricketers this week. Courtesy Abdul Razzaq,Pakistan narrowly won an exciting game in South Africa. Dawn on November 1 reported: All-rounder Abdul Razzaq hopes the breathtaking century that earned his team a thrilling one-wicket win against South Africa will lift Pakistan cricket and silence the critics back home. I hope this will lift the gloom around our cricket,lift (the) teams morale which had dipped because of the recent controversies and defeats, Razzaq said after hitting a 72-ball 109… Every time there is a controversy or we lose one or two matches,people start to write us off,which is wrong. I would request the fans to please keep faith in us so that we can lift ourselves, said Razzaq. His captain gave a quick pat on his back as Dawn reported: Shahid Afridi wants Abdul Razzaq to do the job in case he is not chosen to lead the Pakistan cricket team in Twenty20 World Cup.
Beginning of the end
Bad news,however,on the economy: The News warned on November 1 that if Pakistan fails to come up with a credible future action programme in the Pakistan Development Forum,scheduled on November 14-15 in Islamabad,to improve its macroeconomic indicators,there will be (the) end of support from friendly countries and international financial institutions…
Seven-day itch Rehman Malik,Pakistans interior minister issued an ultimatum for the countrys officers to stop corruption,reported The News on November 1. Malik said all heads of departments have been given a period of one week,till November 7,to take steps to eliminate corruption. The News added on November 2: FIA [the Federal Investigative Agency,Maliks former employer has decided to initiate a probe into the affairs of Transparency International (TI) Pakistan,which recently issued its global corruption perception index and placed Pakistan at 34. Popular TV anchor Kamran Khan in his programme on Geo TV… said it was ironical that this anti-corruption operation by FIA had started by targeting the most respectable and credible anti-corruption global institution. However,FIAs leader doesnt seem to be on his toes,reports The News: Notwithstanding Maliks claim… that FIA has been tasked to go after the corrupt departments and a strategy to this effect has been evolved,DG FIA Waseem Ahmad has denied framing any plan to eradicate corruption in a week. The ministers decision of giving this assignment to FIA has also raised eyebrows as the FIA itself is littered with corruption.
Mosquito mania
Daily Times reported on November 2: The number of patients of dengue is rising across the country as six more patients died of the disease in Sindh,Balochistan and Azad Kashmir… The release of funds and medical aid followed: Sindh CM Qaim Ali Shah has approved a financial package worth Rs 100 million for the treatment of patients affected by dengue… The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa health minister said… fumigation had started and mosquito nets were being provided… The News reported the latest figures on November 3: The number of patients affected with dengue mounted to over 5000… The death toll… rose to 31.
Corruption & pilgrimage
Recent days have seen protests by potential Hajj pilgrims against the governments failure to secure accommodation in Saudi Arabia for them. It has been arranged for only 45,000 of the 1.5 lakh expected. Saudi Prince Bandar bin Khalid wote to the chief justice of Pakistan,Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry,according to November 2s Dawn: Prince Bandar bin Khalid has alleged the Pakistani government rejected the most economical Saudi offer pertaining to the accommodation of Pakistani hajis. Taking a suo motu notice on the letter,the apex court has directed the ministry of religious affairs to file a reply in this regard within 15 days… The letter further stated that it appears the religious affairs ministry is involved in some kind of embezzlement which should be investigated. However… the secretary of religious affairs said the letter was fabricated.
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