Pak-Iran gas pipeline-Eneregy crisis !

Pakistan is reeling under grave energy crisis and to confront it, the Iran -Pakistan gas pipeline projects completion at the earliest possible time frame, could immensely help overcome it.... An excerpt and the link of it's salient feature of a report of Hagler Bailly, a global management consulting firm with an office in Islamabad, would gives some idea of the fact that the concerned planners were forewarned of such a situation arising, after 2007.But unfortunately no measures were taken to preempt the expected crisis.



Worsening Gas and Electricity Crises in Pakistan

Hagler Bailly, a global management consulting firm with an office in Islamabad, warned in a 2006 study that Pakistan is going to witness gas shortage starting in 2007, and the imbalance will grow every year to cripple the economy by 2025, when shortage will be 11,092 MMCFD (Million standard cubic feet per day) against total 13,259 MMCFD production. The Hagler Bailly report added that Pakistan's gas shortage would get much worse in the next two decades if it did not manage any alternative sources. It appears that we are seeing the beginning of the crisis that HB predicted back in 2006.



Recent Growth in Gas Demand:

Demand for natural gas in Pakistan increased by almost 10 percent annually from 2000-01 to 2007-08, reaching around 3,200m cubic feet per day (MMCFD) last year, against the total production of 3,774 MMCFD, according to Pakistani official sources. But, during 2008-2009, the demand for natural gas exceeded the available supply, with production of 4,528 MMCFD gas against demand for 4,731 MMCFD, indicating a shortfall of 203 MMCFD. This winter, Sui Northern Gas sources have reportedly told the media that the company is dealing with a shortfall of 700 MMCFD of gas due to increasing use of heaters and geysers.http://southasiainvestor.blogspot.com/2010/01/worsening-gas-and-electricity-crises-in.html



The abandoning or delaying project under pressure of the US, recent threat warning "that Pakistan could face American sanctions if it went ahead with the proposed gas pipeline project with Iran. The project was ‘inexplicable’ and sanctions would further ‘undermine’ Pakistan’s ‘already shaky’ economy" communicated by Mrs.Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State,yesterday to her counterpart in Pakistan, could prove more harmful to the Pakistan's economy and it's regional sociopolitical interests,then the purported threatened sanctions, if and whenever put in place, of theirs made shamelessly and unmindful of the fact that Pakistan were their ally, having rendered huge human and material sacrifices for their so-called war on terror !



This not the first occasion that they have attempted to block Pakistan's effort to ease out of their energy crisis.They even created uncalled for obstacles by raising objection against the Park-China agreement to build 2 additional reactor plants/project designated to be built at the existing Chasma nuclear plant facility. Ultimately, forcing China, to avoid violating international agreements with the only option to alternatively supply reactors built on an older design version....Secondly,they flatly rebuffed Pakistan request for a civil nuclear agreement similar to what they had signed with India.It is more then evident that their intentions for Pakistan's progress and prosperity, as per their objectives,have not exactly been sincere !



The greatest, irony is that they have nothing to offer as an alternate.,except the TAPI project,which if ever materialized could take years on year.Moreover,it is no hidden secret that there were other reasons for which TAPI was reported not unfeasible.Such as that the quality of the gas from Turkmenistan was low graded,the well from which it was to be supplied, was under a Italian Company and they possibly were found to be unwilling to supply and importantly, last but not least the long route passing through the unstable Afghanistan had no guarantee of it's security.This is in the knowledge of the US administration and sadly yet they persist in recommending the same as a better option ?...



All these social development schemes being made and offered by foreign aid giving agency's would be an exercise in futility,until or unless our energy crisis which drives the wheels of the economy are not overcome and met with on war footings.Moreover,the security and law and order situation must be brought under control,it is only then that the climate for foreign investment and all these social development projects could be successfully implemented with the desired results to stabilize and boost our failing economy.



Truly,this is the time to build a social pressure on the decision making authorities to ensure that nothing apart from Pakistan and it's people interests and benefits could be considered nor accepted.The policy to be strictly followed, should not be anything else ,except Pakistan First!



The US administration should also be made to understand that their demand and pressure in this regard is unjustified and that any further insistence could only strain relation more between them and Pakistan. Doing disservice to their own regional plans and efforts and also to Pakistan's interests !



Pakistan does want to retain good relations with them,but not at the cost of it's solidarity, they have to be balanced in a way that they are mutually beneficial and serving the best interest of both partners!They must understand our problems,national interests and also respect our sovereignty dignity !Relationships cannot be expected to sustain when their are lopsided with one side reaping all the benefits without caring for the other party.



The reality of their (US) Iran sanction being adhered to by other country's is that except UK and a few EU country's the rest of the country's, who were already, trading with Iran have not bothered to end them and are continuing with their business as usual in their nations best interest.Thus,why should Pakistan ?.



Pakistan Zindabad-Paendabad



Meeting at Presidency discusses Pak-US relations

www.dawn.com

ISLAMABAD, Feb 29: A high-level meeting held in the Presidency on Wednesday evening reviewed Pakistan-US relations against the backdrop of the situation in Baluchistan, Afghanistan and Iran.

http://www.dawn.com/2012/03/01/meeting-at-presidency-discusses-pak-us-relations.html



RELATED links for detailed and informative sources for references:

ENERGY CRISIS IN PAKISTAN :http://ipripak.org/factfiles/ff99.pdf

South Asia Investor Review: Worsening Gas and Electricity Crises in Pakistan: southasiainvestor.blogspot.com/2010/01/worsening-gas-and-electricity-crises-in.html

Economy - overview: http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/pakistan/pakistan_economy.html

CNG Industry in Pakistan: http://www.scribd.com/doc/3885203/CNG-Industry-in-Pakistan

Electricity sector in Pakistan : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity_sector_in_Pakistan

Failed government and derailing democracy.

I completely disagree and dispute the contention held by some upholders of democracy, politicians and law makers, that the process of removing a serving government before it’s mandated time period through democratic or by means of constitutional law and people’s pressure, would derail the democratic system.

I believe we need to view Democracy and Government separately through a different perspective. In Italy and Japan, government changes after a year or so, but still there democracy is strengthening day by day. The truth is that there may be the best system established, but if those who are supposed to run it are inept, it is bound to fail.

Democracy is a system, through which governments are formed. If a government is not delivering in accordance to the aspiration and welfare of the people, then it can safely be implied that it has failed and should go! This cannot in any terms be considered as democracy as a system, is being derailed, as we are being made to believe in Pakistan.

If an elected government is delivering, then it has all the right to complete its mandated tenure, but if it proves to be inept and a failure and has lost the people’s confidence in them, then there is no compulsion that they should continue to misrule and destroy the country!

In the latter situation the best moral and democratic practice to be followed could be that they should themselves accept their failure, offer to dissolve and call for a fresh election. Unfortunately there appears to be lack or rather total absence of such moral courage in politicians. In other words, when an elected government loses the popularity and confidence of the majority of the people, then it is wise not to stick around and wait to be booted. Best way around would be to go back to the same people and seek their fresh vote of confidence. My contention is that politicians should, by themselves evolve such moral courage that they should accept failure and desist from retaining power by hook or crook. Their stubborn attitude is what compels the third force to overthrow them and take over the reins. What should be most important above all considerations is the national interest and not self-interest.

I am not implying that any undemocratic or extra-constitutional methods of removal of an elected government should be deployed. But I see nothing fruitful in the argument that failed governance should be allowed to continue and endanger the very existence of the country.

It is due to the greed of retaining power by our politicians in spite of their failure, that the ground gets paved for dictators to move in and grab power! Their own selfish interests are usually the cause for their downfall. The truth is that the current government has been successful to survive all this time, only by appeasing oppositions and cuddling them, not by working for the welfare of the people at the grass root. The frustration within the masses has boiled to a point where they cannot wait any more.

Honestly speaking, practically all the civilian governments which came into power were supported by the same establishment with ‘external’ blessing, of course! It is a case similar to the pot calling the kettle, black. In all earnestness , if the politician’s wish for the establishment to become subservient to civilian rule, they themselves have to resist the temptations of coming in to power from the back door.

Popular and peaceful people pressures are part of the democratic norm. That was how the Judges got restored and a dictator made to resign. This is a recent precedent for our country. It is fine, when a dictator has to be pushed to pack up bags, then why not a failed government which could be leading the country to certain doom. The objection to people pressure being accounted as undemocratic would appear to be maintaining dual standards.

The present government has completed 80 % of their tenure and the number of crisis confronting the nation compound day by day. How do you propose to convince anyone, that what hasn’t been achieved in this time would be eventually be fixed in this 20% of the stipulated period?

Thus in all fairness and in the best interest of the country, I believe it’s not a governments 100% right to govern till the end of a mandated period of time. Rather, if they want to strengthen democracy, they should gracefully step down and revert to the masses to seek a fresh vote of confidence.

Article was published on the Winner @ Pakistan Blog Awards 2011, blog www.mybitforchange.com http://www.mybitforchange.org/2012/womens-empowerment-or-cultural-overhaul/

Women’s empowerment or cultural overhaul

Twinkle, twinkle little star how, I wonder what you are?

I remember reciting this nursery rhyme as a kid at school. Today, my astonishment lies with little and big ‘stars’ being stud in my country by fairly large number of mushroomed foreign funded NGOs. One of my bewilderment which makes me ponder repeatedly is most popular slogan of today i.e. women’s emancipation and empowerment. These NGOs have sprung up in our country since over a decade, driving an agenda to liberate our women. I ask, liberate from what or whom?

Pakistani women work shoulder to shoulder with the opposite gender in every walk of life, be it private or public sector, government offices, armed forces, judiciary, medical and nursing field, science and technology, media organisations, education and even as elected legislators of provincial and national assemblies, even the office of the Prime Minister at least twice. It wouldn’t be impertinent to wonder how come the United States of America, a country which is most advanced and highly developed, never had a female as head of the state.

If viewed in light of the above, there appears to be a fallacy that our women are not into decision making processes in the country and are oppressed and majority are still in the kitchen. And what is so unusual about women being in the kitchen? Same is the case in the west. Who do you suppose, takes care of the kitchen and domestic chores out in the western family? Here, at least due to labour being cheap most of the middle class upwards, women folks are blessed with domestic help, whether it is kitchen, laundry, house cleaning and even many with chauffeurs to drive them around. How many of those in the west can afford that luxury? The upbringing of children begins from home and none better than mother can do that in the best manner. The old adage truly states that “behind every successful man is a woman’’ is absolutely right from the childhood till becoming a spouse!

Thus the lingering question “Where is the empowerment and emancipation lacking?” which the foreign aid agency, are so generously funding to promote in Pakistan?

Wait, just a moment, on a second thought probably, they could be right, our women are oppressed! Let’s take a closer look and observe. Yes, they adhere to cultural norms, values and religious sentiments and belief. On top of that they are proudly and willingly wearing a Hijab (head scarf) or covering themselves from head to toe with a Burka to protect their modesty!

That definitely is a mark of ”oppression’ in world’s eye. However, if they abandon the norms of culture and religion and dress immodestly and attended gatherings of dance and booze, they would surely become liberated, wouldn’t they? I was just wondering why do the Nuns cover themselves from head to toe and abstain from ‘evil’?

Our women can be further be empowered and liberated if the parents would allow their young daughters to develop ‘relationships’ with boys and go hang out with them whenever they wish and wherever they desire. What’s wrong with having a boyfriend? What is the worst that could happen, apart from a rare possibility of being molested or raped or teenage pregnancies?

Wow! now that is called real liberation and empowerment. How silly of me not to have understood such simple difference between oppressed and liberated when such crystal clear examples were present right under my nose! Thanks to all funds arriving in Pakistan in the name of women empowerment and humanitarian grounds actually giving rise to an overhaul of our ‘ancient’ society’s culture, traditions and moral values. Finally, our women folks would be liberated, Yippee Yea!

Article was published on the Winner @ Pakistan Blog Awards 2011, blog www.mybitforchange.com http://www.mybitforchange.org/2012/womens-empowerment-or-cultural-overhaul/

Gender Rights or Human Rights ?

Comparing man with a woman is like trying to equate the table with a chair or queuing up a Horse,Donkey,Zebra,goat and a sheep in one one line and counting them as same...



In my opinion, both man and woman undoubtedly have their own distinct features and good or bad quality's. If taken from a religious or natures point of view.The creator must have had a purpose in mind for having created two separate genders, possessing physiologically different features and yet at the same time ensuring they complement each other in many ways, in their own useful and meaningful manner.



Realistically speaking neither can snatch away or reverse the usefulness of their God gifted quality's,ability's and the purpose. Nor,can they become superior to the other in their own departments, as best designed for and blessed by their creator.Also no,community or society can ever be able to grow in the absence of either of them.!



I feel these categorization, such as women's rights,children's right ,gay's right etc, in fact apparently are promoting and creating a divide and discrimination, more then bonding the society as a whole! Why are we bent upon discriminating men and women or for that matter various other human beings in the society?.



Wouldn't it be more logical and sensible, if we thought on the terms and basis of humanity,justice and merit only and directed our efforts collectively to wipe out the oppression and injustice, perpetrated by the rich against the poor and the strong against the weak and so on forth ?...Since, oppression,injustice and nepotism, victimization in the society, as a whole are not restricted to any specific gender,be it a man,woman or children, all are equally affected by it.



The planning could be done on merit basis,why does it have to be discriminated on gender basis ? If the society is to be progressed and developed on the basis of equality and justice ,then merit should be criteria,no discriminatory concessions should then be allowed to be given,based on any other consideration.Be it man.woman,child gay or straight,black or white etc



Lets promote human rights with equal opportunity's, based purely on merit and justice for all without any preferential treatment or special privileges for the fair ones, such as "Ladies First" or separate ques,reserved travel space in public transport and last but not least same relief and punishments for crimes committed and breaking the law.For example why should the men only be hung at the gallows when awarded a capital punishment ?. This is the only way the lopsidedness or the imbalance within the society can be marginalized.



My debate,here is not about who is more burdened and certainly not which of the two gender is superior then the other.It is simply to provoke a thought that discrimination leads to a division and more of a in-fight ensues within the society.Raising the question of who is getting more rights and who less.Thus in a nutshell,if we were to concentrate on rights and responsibility purely on a humanitarian grounds,it could well enough result in possibly ending this clash of the genders.As regards to the example of ques etc .They were quoted to emphasize the somewhat a hypocritical approach or probably a duality.If one feels equal to the other in rights and desires same level of opportunity without any discrimination.The in all fairness one must be entitled and prepared to receive the same treatment and not preferential ! You cannot be asked to be treated as Ladies first and then in the same breath say we are equal:)



As far as oppression and and the deprivation is concerned.Believe me there are criminals,cruel,oppressive and corrupt in both the genders.The females are no exception as far as immorality and crime matter.Had it not been a ground reality, then in every society there wouldn't have been women prisoner's serving sentences in jails for crimes as heinous no less compared probably committed by the opposite sex:)



Conclusion: The Feminist Movement coaxing is to a certain degree agitating women and adding to more frictions and broadening the gap between the two genders.Now,it is more of a demanding relation then of a adjusting and compromising between them.Possibly resulting in soured relations and more broken family's ? The love and affection appears to be dwindling and sort of visibly converting into a competition?And, rebellious attitudes...In all fairness they are made for each other and both meant to complement one another :)



...Just my observation and opinion,without sounding prejudiced to either of the sex.I could be wrong,entirely.