Pakistan Rocked

Original Caption Released with Image:
This image acquired by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer on NASA`s Terra spacecraft on October 11, 2005, depicts a 30-kilometer (19-mile) wide region southeast of the epicenter of the magnitude 7.6 Pakistan earthquake on October 8, 2005, between Muzaffarabad and Uri in the Pir Punjal range of Kashmir. The center of the image is at about 34 degrees, 13 minutes North; 73 degrees, 42 minutes East. A large landslide is visible (brown color) to the south of the main river (Jhelum River) crossing the image. The landslide appears to have blocked the flow of a small river. A number of smaller landslides are also visible, mostly along the main river and other valleys. For a 3D perspective view of this image, see PIA03030.

[img src=``http://cires.colorado.edu/~bilham/KASHMIR/LandslidesKashmir.htm``]

{img src=``http://cires.colorado.edu/~bilham/KASHMIR/KashmirHazardBig.jpg``}


This is the hypotheses

#10 faisal

``pak has the lowest tax to gpd ratio in the world. in layman terms, this means that the biggest tax cheats in the world are pakistanis. ``

This is collosal bullshit myth that is being drilled into the minds of Pakistani people by the international monetary institutions (aka aalmi soodkhor) and their appointed agents like Musharaf and Shortcut Aziz, Mouinuddin and other assorted Chawals and dallals. The fact of the matter is that these institutions have made tremendous ``investment`` in Pakistan by lending it huge amount of debt. They want their return on investment. The only way to do it is by taxing the society. That is the reason our second largest expense, after spending on defense, goes to debt servicing. It is like a credit card, in layman terms. So the military i.e. Na Pak fauj is used to collect revenue and to make sure that no populist civilian government may emerge who would refuse to pay the debt further. In order to serve these two purposes if military has to raise its weapons agansit its own people then so be it. This is the core reason that this corrupt regime, even though it has rendered extraordinary services to America in its War of oppression on helpless countries, it has not even initiated the matter with Americans that our debt should be forgiven. This debt business is the cash cow for corrupt generals and vulture like poilticians on two sides. One one sides they obtain debt in the name of Pakistani nation, benefits of which never reach to Pakistanis, and on the other hand they can impose any taxation on people without impunity.

The truth of the matter is that Pakistan is one of the most heavily taxed countries on this planet. In some case the tax is several hundered percent. For example about 10 years ago the cost of 1 kilo of sugar at factory gate was 25 paisas. The millowner decalred its wholesale price to be about six rupees and after tax the consumer was getting it at Rs. 18 in the market. Similarly at the same time, a sac of cement at factory gate was costing about Rs. 4, the manufacturers retail price was Rs. 60-80 and after tax the consumer was buying it for Rs. 220. Every product that is produced in Pakistan is similarly taxed. There is tax on seeds, there is tax on fertilizers (several hundered percent); there is exurbitant tax on pesticides (who is there is no agriculture tax); electricity; clothes; petrol every thing yu name it is either owned by state or it is taxed several hunederd percent. This is called indirect taxing. In this case the government reserve the right to not to show how much tax it is collecting from consumer because it is not itemized and fused into the price. The reason is simple. Government does not feel itself obligated to be accountable to people. There is taxation but no representation of the people. Pakistan has become the most unjust and corrupt society in the world for that very reason. Because the fukking napolean bonaparts have no accontability. This is the reason every Muslim in Pakistan has a religious obligation to change this unjest and corrupt system.

Mr Ejaz Gul
somewhere in your article you wrote.

``Satellite pictures show formation of a lake on one of the tributaries of Neelum River which could bring floods in the area.``

and Rogger Bilham has also noted this


http://cires.colorado.edu/~bilham/Kashmir%202005.htm

its full image is at

http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpegMod/PIA03028_modest.jpg


Now this is quet threatening... It means that after the Winters are over....and Rivers start
filling up.... there is a Chance of a massive Flood.....

Has any one noticed it so far....??

Thank you Ijaz gul for an informative article, will you be kind enough to tell us little bit more about Hazara fault, ...did Britishers knew about it before 1947,...please tell us more about it....I noticed one time, in Abbottabad,.. when PWD people were demolishing a Britishers built single storey government building ,.that it had very broad and deep foundations,..and the upper portion was light weight and flexible..... may be they knew about the quake risks in the area ...please discuss ....thank you

Thank God for Pakistani nationalists. They are the ones who will stand by Pakistan right now.

Hindvi

Most nationalists are good people. Most universalists are either idealists (some would call them fools) or very evil people.

it is interesting to note that while Iqbal was a pan Islamist and a universalist (note Cheen-o-Arab hamara sara Jahan hamara) and decidedly against nationalism (vide: in Taaza khudaon mein) but the Pakistanis are generally nationalist, at the most pan- islamists and rarely if ever universalists.

Faisaluno/Ijaz: Since Army is running the show, and will make the major decisions, I think it should be considered ok to discuss it on an earthquake thread......

I know the military inside out. At all levels. I am even now getting to know them as a businessman. Here are the facts:There are two types of corruptions: Financial corruption and Professional corruption, i.e. stealing money or not doing one`s professional job properly.

- Financial corruption in Pakistan is not dependent on the institution. It is dependent on the opportunity. The military is, hands down, internally, financially, the most honest insitution I have ever dealt with in Pakistan. Never had to pay a penny to get anything done. While even getting a passport or phone connection could cost money in civil.

However, the reason is that uptil the rank of Brigadier, there really isn`t any opportunity to be corrupt in the military. Hence a tradition of corruption has not developed. Corruption is still considered bad, unlike in civil services. However, wherever there is a chance, it does occur. The Army Rangers on the Indian border, controlling smuggling have a chance and are corrupt. The C-130 pilots who make foreign trips are corrupt. The Generals (not all) who sign financial arm deals are corrupt.

In addition, the military has institutionalised corruption. It has made it legal. It is the biggest business entity in Pakistan, and uses great influence and nepotism to run its business. A massive corruption incidence was unearthed in Lahore Defence. It is corrupt there like all businesses are.

Interestingly, in the Army, during Zia`s days, he noticed that all the top grads from PMA were opting to join the Supply branch of the Army, and not the fighting branches. Why? Because one can make money there. So he fired the PMA commadant......

Having said this, the military is still a nunnery in comparison to corruption in Civil Services, Politics etc. However, the same military officer, when he goes into politics and civil services, and gets a chance to be corrupt, does become corrupt.....Notice Ayub Khan and his family. Suprisingly, Musharraf has remained clean so far........

- In professional area, the miltiary is no doubt very disciplined. And not corrupt. Here its achilles heal is that the Army genrals, though professionally dedicated, are not very competent. Everyone else is quite competent.

And everyone is willing to risk their lives for Pakistan, at huge odds, against much more powerful enemies. And will risk it during an earthquake. Even the ones who are corrupt. The miltiary has a very strong tradition of fighting when asked........You are seeing that during this earthquake. The Brigadier who lost his son is on the job immediately, while it is hard to find a single civil servant working in the area. No doubt the civil servants are tending to their family. But the Brigadier is still there...........

ijaz: Thanks for this article which is informative both with respect to the internal geology that caused this earthquake, as well as with respect to the tragedy itself. I have done a tiny bit here in the US (spending a couple of days packing tents, medicines etc. and dropping them off at a warehouse (whose use was donated for this purpose) from where a truck took them to NY and from their to Pakistan). Admittedly that is nothing, but hope to continue doing more in the months and years ahead. And certainly no true Pakistani will ever forget this tragedy as long as he/she lives and continue to do what he/she can to help.

While dropping off the goods to the warehouse mentioned above, I too saw an example of the great heart with which Pakistanis have responded to this challenge: a lady of about 60 years, herself not in good health due to a long battle with cancer, was putting away boxes of clothing to one side - I suggested that maybe she should not exert herself too much, and she smiled gently and replied ``jo thora bahut kar sakti hooN kar rahi hooN``. I had to walk away with tears coming to my eyes.

romair,

since this article is about the quake, i dont wont to carry the discussion too far of course. however let me just say that i dont agree with your comments that pak army is no different from politicians. in my opinion, pak army is the most disciplined, the most effective and least corrupt institution in pak. in contrast pak politicians represent the worst face of pak society. i challange you to list any good deed done by the likes of altaf hussain, bb/zardari, qazi hussain, nawab bugti etc. i for one am very grateful that army keeps a check on these politicians. i think this will be the reality for some time to come because army has seen that its interest are best protected when the country is doing well. army has learnt this lesson after watching the country run into the ground by politicians who exercised power without any restraint in the nineties. i think other institutions will have to emulate the values of the army if those institutions want a say in the affairs of pak. i think going forward, you will see more leaders appear from the business class/professionals because these groups will have more stake in the well being of the country should the pak economy maintain its growth momentum. btw, bhutto embarked upon nationalisation because he did not want other groups to challenge the power of feudals.

ijaz gul,

i used the cell phone numbers just for illustrations. the numbers are the same even if you look at other variable such as numbers of motor vehicles registered etc. btw, your updates are very enlightening. please keep us updated.

Faisal and Romair,
It is not the people but the institutions that are currupt. Cell pre paid costs as low as Rs.3000/ and it bypasses the entire curruption endemic to PTCL land line system. Though you may still be right, your logic is correct.

Yea you perhaps read in my essay Pakistan and Civil Society. Philontrophy is very high amongst the Civil Society.

Its nearly three weeks. Other than Pakistan Armed Forces, we have the Americans, Germans, Japanese, Afghans, Ukrainians, British Amries, UN and WFP apart so many relief organisations working day and night. Yet all areas are not reached.

Let me reiterate that the Army was in action within hours in Bagh, Rawalakot and Muzzafarabad. TROOPS IN AK WERE REINFORCED WITH TROOPS FROM MANGLA ND LAHORE. SUFFICE TO SAY THAT THE ARMY SUFFERED MORE CASUALTIES THAN 1965 WAR DUE TO THE QUAKE. DUE TO THE HEAVEY LOSSES TO THE UNITS, MOST COMMANDERS WHO LOST THEIR WIVES/CHILDREN DID NOT EVEN GO ON LEAVE. THEY STAYED WITH THE UNITS AND TOOK PART IN THE RESCUE.

AS FOR BALAKOT, THE FORMATIONS EARMARKED FOR THIS AREA ARE ENGAGED IN WANA AND TROOPS HAD TO BE MOVED FROM KHARIAN, GUJRANWALA AND LAHORE.

The army has to literally make new roads on unstable hill faces. It seems easier than done.

Cheerios

Ijaz:

You have done a thorough and comprehensive write-up on this massive quake. I remember you were the first to write at chowk about it and to respond to my enquiry about the Margalla Towers.

Two things come out consistently on every write-up I have seen on the relief efforts. One is the tremendous response by private organizations and individuals like you - both Pakistani and foreign. The other is the lackluster response of the government and the army. As someone suggested, Pakistan needs to have a disaster management system, both for natural and man made disasters.