Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has done little to connect with the Pakistani public or attempt to address popular concerns, which has resulted in his sunken popularity, a US daily has observed.
"Pakistanis still call him 'Mr 10 per cent', a reference to corruption allegations that have dogged him since stints in previous decades as a Cabinet Minister. He knows how to work a crowd of politicians, but he doesn't know how to connect with the public," The Los Angeles Times wrote.
At one hand, the media jabs his inability to solve crisis ranging from daily power shutdowns to a moribund economy; and at the other, he gets little to no credit for the military offensive to tame local Taliban force.
"None of it fazes him. He will come out of it. He is being portrayed as the worst kind of man. But he waits because he's seen those days when he was portrayed as the villain of the country. He is a very patient person," Fauzia Wahab, Information Secretary of PPP was quoted as saying about the President.
The rest of the country may not be as patient, remarked the paper, saying the 54-year-old widower of slain former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto is widely viewed in Pakistani society not as a helmsman, but a bystander.
It's an image that is largely of Zardari's own making, the paper cited analysts who contend that he has failed to forge any kind of connection with the Pakistani public.
"Zardari's public appearances are infrequent and he has held only two news conferences, both with visiting heads of state alongside. He has yet to set foot in the Swat Valley, a region his troops retook from Taliban insurgents who had extended their reach to within an hour's drive of the capital," the report said.
"There's a sense that the guy's in charge but doesn't really know where he is. Has it sunk in yet that he's President of 167 million people, and that it's not about running a business anymore?" it added.
Electricity still a far-fetched dream for Gurez valley
Electricity remains to be a distant dream for the residents of Gurez valley of Jammu and Kashmir despite ample water resources existing in the region.
Consequently, diesel run generators have been sole means of power, a situation that has prevailed and prolonged in the region for decades.
In contrast, Gurez valley is the home to a mega hydroelectric project, the power from which will be transmitted to other states!
At present, the residents of Gurez get electricity hardly for two to three hours in a day, supplied by the diesel run generators. And these generators operate as per the available stock of diesel.
"There is so much water here. The government has to take steps to put an end to the power crisis. The electricity is supplied through diesel generators. As long as diesel is there we get electricity, but if the diesel goes out of stock, we live in dark and have to wait for fifteen days to one month for the next stock to reach our place," said Shazia Tabasum, a student.
Local authorities say that the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) is constructing 330 MW power project from the waters of Kishanganga river.
"There is so much water over here. The Kishanganga hydro project has been allotted to NHPC. It will give 30 megawatts power supply out of 330 megawatts. The worst part is that the people living here won't get any electricity. I have appealed to the government that at least one percent of power should be supplied to our valley for free," said Nazir Ahmed Gurazi, MLA, Gurez.
In winters, the technical snags in the diesel generators add to the woes of the locals as they have to wait for an engineer and a technician to come all the way to their valley to fix the problems.
"We face many problems as there is no power supply here. If anybody is ill, we cannot take him or her to have an x-ray. The school children can't study without light and their time is wasted," said Ghulam Nabi, a local resident.
Consequently, diesel run generators have been sole means of power, a situation that has prevailed and prolonged in the region for decades.
In contrast, Gurez valley is the home to a mega hydroelectric project, the power from which will be transmitted to other states!
At present, the residents of Gurez get electricity hardly for two to three hours in a day, supplied by the diesel run generators. And these generators operate as per the available stock of diesel.
"There is so much water here. The government has to take steps to put an end to the power crisis. The electricity is supplied through diesel generators. As long as diesel is there we get electricity, but if the diesel goes out of stock, we live in dark and have to wait for fifteen days to one month for the next stock to reach our place," said Shazia Tabasum, a student.
Local authorities say that the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) is constructing 330 MW power project from the waters of Kishanganga river.
"There is so much water over here. The Kishanganga hydro project has been allotted to NHPC. It will give 30 megawatts power supply out of 330 megawatts. The worst part is that the people living here won't get any electricity. I have appealed to the government that at least one percent of power should be supplied to our valley for free," said Nazir Ahmed Gurazi, MLA, Gurez.
In winters, the technical snags in the diesel generators add to the woes of the locals as they have to wait for an engineer and a technician to come all the way to their valley to fix the problems.
"We face many problems as there is no power supply here. If anybody is ill, we cannot take him or her to have an x-ray. The school children can't study without light and their time is wasted," said Ghulam Nabi, a local resident.
UAE delivers free food to displaced Pakistanis
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has distributed 100 tonnes of food among the displaced civilians living at the Jalozai camp after the military offensives against the Taliban in northwest Pakistan, WAM news agency reported.
Some 4,000 families living at the camp received the food packets, according to the report Saturday. The items were delivered by the UAE embassy in Pakistan.
Most of the people at the camp are from the Malakand, Swat Valley and Bajur areas of Pakistan.
Some 4,000 families living at the camp received the food packets, according to the report Saturday. The items were delivered by the UAE embassy in Pakistan.
Most of the people at the camp are from the Malakand, Swat Valley and Bajur areas of Pakistan.
IMF approves 3rd tranche of $840m for Pakistan
NEW YORK: International Monetary Fund (IMF) has ratified for Pakistan on Friday the third installment of the loan costing dollar 840 million, Geo news reported while the decision was taken amid the executive meeting here.
The money will be transferred to State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) within three to four days to come, sources said.
IMF also approved for Pakistan the additional loan of 3.1 million dollars following Pakistan request during the meeting, sources concluded.
UK.برطانوی شہری مشرف پر مقدمہ کریں گے
| برطانوی پارلیمنٹ کے رکن لارڈ نذیر احمد نے کہا ہے کہ سابق آمر مشرف کیخلاف لندن میں الگ مقدمہ چلایا جائیگا۔ جس کیلئے آئینی ماہرین سے مشاورت کی جا رہی ہے۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ سابق صدر کیخلاف سپریم کورٹ کا فیصلہ پاکستان کے عوام ، میڈیا اور پورے ملک کا مطالبہ تھا۔ سپریم کورٹ کے فیصلے کے بعد معاملہ پاکستانی پارلیمنٹ میں ہے جس پر حکومت کو فیصلہ کرنا ہو گا۔ انہوں نے بتایا کہ برطانیہ میں سابق صدر پر مقدمہ ان لوگوں کے بیانات اور شواہد کی روشنی میں چلایا جائیگا جو برطانیہ سے تعلق رکھتے ہیں اور کسی نہ کسی طرح سابق صدر کے اقدامات سے متاثر ہوئے ہیں۔ لارڈ نذیر کا کہنا تھا کہ مشرف کیخلاف کیس کرنے کیلئے عالمی سطح پر معروف قانونی ادارے کے ساتھ اس حوالے سے بات چیت چل رہی ہے۔ | ||
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