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US Senator John Kerry arrived in Pakistan on Monday to discuss a proposed bill envisaging US$1.5 billion of economic assistance per year to Pakistan over the next five years. During his visit, Senator Kerry, who is also the Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, will touch on regional and security issues in meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, but the focus will be on future civilian and military aid.
If you could share a cup of tea with Senator Kerry during his stay in Islamabad, what would you ask him about the US’s plan for non-military assistance to Pakistan? How do you think non-military aid, which Pakistan is due to receive under the Kerry-Lugar bill, should be spent? What would you suggest Senator Kerry insist upon during meetings with the Pakistani leadership on how to distribute and allocate civilian aid?
FIVE REGIONAL CITIES OF PAKISTAN should be upgraded with in the provinces in the country. Regional cities of Dera Ismail Khan in NWFP, Gawadar/ Qalat in Balouchistan, Sukkar/Larkana in Upper Sind, Jehlam/ Rawalpindi and Multan in Punjab province. These regional cities have been ignored by the federal and provincial governments although these cities have their own history, culture and languages.Dera Ismail Khan in south of Pakhtunkhwa/NWFP is under siege, Multan/DG Khan in south of Punjab is next target of religious extremists, Sukkar/ Larkana is being rule by criminals, Gawadar/ Qalat is trouble some. The people of these regions have to travel to provincial capitals for every small issue and requirement of the daily life which should be provided in nearby cities. A good number of population travel to big cities for their survival to earn livelihood as the local feudal own majority land and keep the common man as their slaves. Creation of regional government and upgrading of the regional cities will save a lot of money and time of the poor people of these regions. Circuit benches of the High Courts are already working in these areas and only requirement is the additional staff of different departments involved in additional work at the provincial capitals. The concern authorities should immediately consider to upgrade the regional cities. And immediate attention should be given upgrade/build the airports,TV station, civic center, libraries,hospitals, educational institutes and investment opportunities for Pakistanis living abroad and foreign firms to create jobs in the area as majority population in rural Pakistan do not have enough resources to survive. It’s remind me the condition of pre Islamic revolution of Iran in Shah time when the rural Iran was ignored and the capital Tehran was developed in a way to call it Paris of Middle East with modern life style. Couple of other big cities like Isfahan and Caspian sea was taken care of because of foreign tourists but rural area was ruled by cruel police and intelligence. Then what happen rural population supported the Islamic revolution and moved to Tehran and other big cities later on. The new government after revolution developed, built and upgraded the rural areas of Iran accordingly. A fund to upgrade/build these regional cities in Pakistan should be introduced by public and private sector and Pakistani government, our foreign friends and Pakistanis living abroad may be asked to participate in this development mission in the country.
KHWAJA AFTAB ALI, (former secretary, Iranian embassy, Saudi Arabia,1979-88) Advocate High Court & I.P. Attorney-first & the only Pakistani lawyer who earned Intellectual Property laws scholarship in USA,presently residing in Florida, USA. all_languages@hotmail.com
Until we take concrete steps towards promoting education, we will be asking money from everywhere to boost our economy. Economic growth is linked with top quality education and skilled work force. Let not spend this money to buy armani suits, but to spend on education, as we lack innovations and are trailing behind Bangladesh.
Higher Education commission has even stopped funding higher studies, so the question is then why do we even need HEC and the staff who are working there?
The Aid offer should be refused with thanks, our freedom and Sovereignty is not on sale.
If they are so concerned about uplifting of the socio-economics of the tribal region then they should announce favorable trade concessions for products originating from the tribal region the region will develop on its own.
Give the money to our security agencies who in turn can train more Taliban and other militants so that more trouble is caused everywhere and more aid can come in to fight these elements.
From the comments it is clear…
Top priority area: education (high quality)
Preferred method of lending: through private sector
Selection of entities: through clear plan for utilization of provided funds
I am putting my vote in the same box…
For those who believe there is a dark before dawn then how long is the dark for many African countries and if the dark can be so long then we (i.e. international community) must do something to shorten this dark anywhere and everywhere.
Pakistan is now in a poverty–> exteremism –>poverty vicious cycle that needs to be stopped through some external intervention, sustained by internal efforts!
If Pakistan has to survive it has to come out of the iron fists of USA; get away from war of terror . Pakistan must stand on its OWN FEET; learn to live within its own means. Pak govt should trim and get rid of army of ministers. If you down size the govt machinery nothing will happen. Donor countries should put all that money of $50 bills in helicopter and shower over Pakistan every province and this way poverty will be eliminated and not through the corrupt and inefficient government. Long Live Pakistan, Amen.
Education, Education and more Education. This is key to changing to face of our nation!!
Many hanks to DAWN for taking opinion on this subject.
First of all, let me understand my country (PAKISTAN) who is having 5th largest gold mine, 7th largest copper mine, 7th with nuclear capability, having 6th largest army, 11th largest wheat producer and 12th rice producer (do still need to beg IMF and aid from US)????????
I was reading comments from my pakistani and indian friends and I praised to see comments from my indian friends who wrote with all their sincerety and want to see pakistan on rise because neighbouers can not be replaced.
In my opinion, first of all we both the countries should stop hating each other and live with peace and to make path of prosparity within both the countries and when I said peace it means peace not within the people of both the countries but peace with both the governments and specially within (ISI and RAW) because any blast takes in any side of border, after two or three days we also listen its reflection on other side of border as well. SO STOP maligning each other and work for mutual interest.
Coming back to the given topic, my sincere opinion is that to ask government of pakitan to give plan to US, and US should apoint local true, and well known non governmental personqalities as their representatives to monitor the investment, should not let go to government accounts and also US should make them responsible and accoutable for this money other wise they will be taken in international court for any misuse of this fund….
This aid should be utilized for the improvement of EDUCATION, ELECTRICITY, AGRICULTURE, INDUSTRIES, HEALTH CARE and on other basic needs of common people.
Great care should be taken that this money does not end up in the bank accounts of greedy political masters.
Country has lost more than 36 billion dollars for fighting for American war on terror and a meager help of few billion dollars from uncle Sam will be insufficient to cover the loss.
Use money to STOP Taliban first.
They are coming . Read this
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/14/world/asia/14punjab.html?hp
Revamping the law enforcement agencies. The police needs to be made stronger to deal with security threats that don’t bring city life to a standstill as a result of terrorist threats. We have all seen what has happened in Lahore and Islamabad.
Terrorist and extremist acts should face a ZERO TOLERANCE policy. The government is just being too politically correct trying to please different sectors of the political ideology, and in the process avoiding the core issues, which are worsening.
Education and employment. People recruited for terrorist acts are more or less the uneducated and unemployed. Progressive education needs to be introduced, not just stuck up in the state propaganda especially against ‘enemies’ of Pakistan instilling hatred.
I would suggest the following:-
1. The areas which has suffered due to terrorism should get priority over the developed areas.
2. The infrastructure destroyed, the schools burnt and people affected should be helped.
3. Rural Health services , water supply and small electricity projects should be undertaken.
As always we Pakistani’s claim utmost pride with our palms hanging out. The US should not give Pakistan any aid. Our incredibly intelligent leaders government and opposition alike have just signed Sharia into law. Are they truly out of their minds or is this a new level of evil even for them. Negotiating with Taliban is like negotiating with wolves with a promise that they will give up eating sheep. Not gonna happen. We lost East Pakistan in 1971. In 2009 we have lost NWFP. Islamabad is next.
The aid should be used in putting up industrial units using our agricultural raw materials so that Pakistan can become self sufficient in Food and export the same.
Today world is suffering from shortage of food and this would make people of pakistan self sufficient, create jobs, make economy better and pay off our loans.
Pakistan should never rely on the US in the long run and the only way to get out of this is to,
1. To invest most of the help in Thar Coal thermal power plants (as without power no industry and development). For God’s Sake Pakistan is setting on the 2nd largest coal reserves in the World!!
2. Invest heavily in economically deprived areas like NWFP, Balochistan and the FATA and PATA in particular. As without economic development and social justice don’t expect any development.
3. Straighten up the justice system and pull out of the bureaucratic red tapisim as most of the attacks against the state are frustration against the system rather than terrorism.
Strengthen institutions and institutionalize justice to counter massive corruption that gnaws at the very foundations of our society. Institutions like ombudsman should be made active and effective to ensure administrative justice. Reforms in all major sectors–education, police, health, taxation and so on and so forth–are a must.
I think the best way to spend the bheek…oops I mean “AID” is to keep it out of the pockets of our Politicians, agencies and other opportunists who have always managed to siphon off all the Bheek oops I mean Aid in the past….any social projects will do…just Dont let them buy more surrey mansions, shore up the swiss accounts and buy more ranches in the US…
I heard that Pakistan is trying to open 2 new nuclear facilities with the amount of $2.4 billions with the help of China.
What my question is one hand Pakistan is urging for Financial Aid from Friends and allies and otherhand it is trying to create nuclear weapons. Pak is saying that it is in financial turmoil and depending on other countries for survival. At the same time Pak is able to spend money on nuclear weapons. How it is possible? Is it using Military/Non-military aid on weapons?
Even Foreign fund coming, why Govt have to accept blowing the schools? Assume that using this fund schools are re-built, is it guaranteed that Taliban or any other militants wont blow up?
My advise is buy modern equipment like lie detectors and clean security agencies first. Then get rid of Taliban and militents from the country. then start building the schools, hospitals, technical/ocational training etc. Inspect the Madarsahs, what they are teaching, Put the examination to the mullahs, who should study humanity, socialism, before they start speeches. I heard that Mullahs behave like businessmen now a days.
I will tell him three things:
1. People of Pakistan deserve at least 10 billion dollars a year for at least 5 years.
2. There must be no benchmarks or conditions attached to the aid. Otherwise, it will increase ill will between the two countries instead of good will.
3. Not a single cent should be spent through the corrupt politicians or bureaucrats in Islamabad. It should be disbursed directly to the people. It will otherwise meet the fate of the 12 billion given since 2001 that nobody knows where it went.
Dear John Kerry,
Please meet our educated industrialists, businessmen, educationists, physicians and scientists if you want to spend this money in a wise manner. They would tell you where to spend this money and how to get faster and effective results. If you gave a blank check to this administration in Pakistan, they would do nothing but waste it on their own security, palaces and luxuries. I request you to please please consider this as a sincere plea and meet the true hard working dedicated brains in Pakistan and not these illiterate and brainless politicians. You will not only save Pakistan from self destruction but earn the respect and love this country once showed for US in the past.
We need this Aid to be spent on areas like infrastructure, education, healthcare and transfer of industrial technology so that we become independent on making value added products which the world will buy from Pakistan. We cannot just rely on agricultural economy. For example, if we had modern technology we would be able to make food products, value added products at an affordable prices for the world to buy. We can’t keep giving same aid to the same people who will do nothing but pocket 90% of it and rest would be spent on lies and deceit. I am a US citizen and I would be disappointed if my tax money goes wasted on this new adventure.
The GOP has abdicated from educating its youth.
Therefore a well funded private/public partnership for education , basic health and nutrition will go a long way in stabilizing the fast eroding writ of the government. Hurdles created by bureaucrats can be offset by an oversight by the donors and members of civil society. First two years should be spent just on capacity building to be able to absorb the incoming aid in these sectors. Starting with clear vision and mission and harmonizing the action plan to that end.. Health and education sectors generate the most jobs in a short time as there seems to be no end to the burgeoning population.
For decades there has been a steady and deliberate transfer of wealth from the agriculture to the industrial sector, in the bargain there has been a massive shift of population to the urban areas creating urban poverty as well as unrest. Let us take education and health services to the rural areas with the help of this one time aid. Let us rejuvenate not only agriculture but also the small farmers. Let the small farmer have some excess money to invest in his children’s health and agriculture technology to boost his productivity.
adding another thought- Bring projects that see employment in the poor parts of the country. These young guys join these jihadis due to no employment.
create jobs (sustainable) through projects in the troubled areas.
Shut down all Madarasas and start by building schools that educate citizens towards knowledge that benfits them in having a future life— and not hatred and religious zealotry.
Education, Education, Education this is how it should be prioritized.