Revolution or Not!

Revolution or Not!

I aM CoRruPt

I am corrupt! Am I?

I dislike the stagnation around me. I feel there is someone out there to blame for anything and everything that is not perhaps right. When I sit all alone I think and look for the cause I have an answer it’s the corruption!

Rising bills, inflation, poverty, bad governance, injustice, inequality, cruelty and the list goes on. I or any person in my vicinity can relate to corruption as the root cause of it all.

Why can’t these people do the right thing? I talk to myself my subconscious self. I feel frustrated with an urge to leave my surroundings to join a land where the root cause is absent. Where the list of wrong is not there. Is it those blessed ones have overcome this human virtue and outcast CORRUPTION from their communes?

Not in reality then what gives them the advantage that we lack as a group of people. One would think that its as simple as pointing the finger. But when you let your conscience play out impartially…. walla! you have the answer. The corruption is hidden inside my ownself!

I am corrupt ’cause I chose to accept. I am corrupt ’cause I don’t sacrifice. I am corrupt ’cause I fail to share. I am corrupt ’cause I fail to look farther. I am corrupt ’cause I believe that till we rid this virtue amongst us we cannot rid our problems.

I am forced to think, hasn’t this virtue always been in form of greed from the time of mankind’s inception? It it not true that societies around us, despite corruption have overcome similar coat lists of problems, as we are up against today. If your quest gives you an answer other than what we have been accustomed to, doesn’t that change the whole frame?

Have we been stuck in this moral hazard for long now that we must be a pure group of people / society only then bliss and happiness will be bestowed upon us. We all know that this battle will not finish in the near future so we will not succeed in any thing in the near future? Mind boggling huh! Are we the outcomes of such conditioning that is our biggest impediment. All I am left with is to conclude that until I overcome my own corruption in thought I can’t see a clear future for all!

We can succeed with fresh perspective and strategy and without waiting for idealism to diffuse amongst us all!

A couple of friends commented that we need nationalism the glue to bind us to face up the challenges. Another addition is we need people with commitment and no rocket scientists simply sticking to a straight path will bear results benefiting ALL.

But my stress is upon, till the individual doesn’t want to make the change they won’t put it in a dish for you. I suggest most humbly that it’s our ALL belief and value system that is not letting us make the required outcomes. I’m waiting for the urge to overcome the negativity!

>Ad hocism

>I often think that Pakistan is an Emergency country. Look around and you will see why I suggest it so; we do everything at the last moment. It has become a part of our daily life, from paying our taxes to utility bills or meeting our obligations. What impact such last minute actions has on the execution of any thing is that we have not had ample time to think through or plan for the activity. Therefore the outcomes are more often unpredictable and poor in nature.

In the recent months we have condoled with the families of those that lost lives in the terrorist bombings but also for those that lost their loved ones due to the negligence or oversight of medical doctors. As the whole nation was in shock to see the adorable child lose her life it resulted in an outcry and hatred against such gross misjudgment. Once again our response was even at the policy makers level very immature, reactionary and short term. All the same, based on the principles of ad hocism. The result was very simple, close down everything i.e. health facility.

After the dust settled and those that were suspected to be responsible for the gross negligence were fined or put behind bars. All of a sudden out of the woods came a health bill specifically for the private sector health providers. The health bill starts with the premise that all that practice in the private healthcare market are under the microscope and since they charge user fees for delivering healthcare they will be held responsible for any morbidity or mortality. They would be considered for charges of murder and would be stripped of this and that. The health facility will be closed down and this would scare everyone and things would improve. In my view again this is a reactionary and ad hoc response that has not been thought through.

The health bill’s first focus is on the private side of the healthcare service. If we suppose that the bill’s intention is to improve and guarantee quality then it has to encompass all the providers that practice healthcare both public and private sectors. The bill cannot go about putting punitive and criminal damages on licensed practitioners only when the cities are swarming with quacks that practice openly.

Why is the quality of the healthcare service so poor or delivered in hiccups because the people who should be responsible for making the laws to govern the quality and authenticity of healthcare have been busy with their love for the pharmaceutical sector. Question is why the focus on the drug industry only, because it involves money and large money means benefits for many. The time that should have been spent in implementing policies for improving and regulating the healthcare has been lost.

So now the problem is being solved as always in an Emergency without thinking through of the linkages, impacts and broad ripple effects; without any focus on plausibility of the policies and how they can be implemented and accepted by the stake holders. Again with an arrogance of bureaucracy it is believed that the laws will be imposed and they will be accepted and succeed in making a difference.

As logic should prevail the correct approach would be:

-to raise the professional / technical body to enforce a system of continuous improvement of production of professionals such as doctors and technicians and nurses.

-A compulsory system of reevaluation of the healthcare providers / professionals should be introduced to ensure up gradations and encompassing the minimum safe knowledge levels for the general safety of the patients.

-A system to be followed by all (public and private) health facilities that ensures standards of infrastructure, practicing rights of doctors,morbidity audits, mortality audits, infection committee,Pharmaceutical Committee,third party quality audits.

-A special force that can close down practicing people who do not have officially acceptable documents and or licences to practice medicine.

-A technical body designed to accept complaints and law suits against healthcare providers

Its a pity that we will continue to make the mistake of ad hocism as we are an emergency nation. May we become a nation of elective approach that uses our brain faculties. Amen!

>DAWN.COM | Business | LCCI to raise power tariff issue with PM

>DAWN.COM | Business | LCCI to raise power tariff issue with PM

>Accountability Accounts

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We are rapidly developing as a nation which talks about accountability excessively. The past year everyone under the sun talked about justice and accountability. But what is interesting about this accountability? As long as it only deals with others it remains the center of our attention! We want to hold everyone accountable! We would like to have our scores settled with any and everyone!

Lets hold the government and previous governments accountable. Lets hold the bureaucracy accountable. Lets hold the army accountable. Lets hold the doctors accountable. Lets hold the lawyers accountable. Lets hold the maulvis accountable. Lets hold any one we can blame accountable! But lets not hold ourselves accountable!

NRO that became the center of attention and the reason of perhaps the future moving and shaking is the outcome of this accountability! But what the main stream media is not talking about is that all the accountability is a result of those people who are part of our society and they are the ones that have committed crimes against the society and country! True. But aren’t they the true replica of who we are as a group at large.

If as a nation we want to talk about accountability lets start by saying that i will hold myself accountable for all my actions that go against the nation and then once i am ready to put myself on the right track then i will go and mind other people’s affairs.

As a nation we like to meddle in other people’s affairs. But unfortunately if we want to fix the problem and be the solution then we will need to initiate the process of self accountability at each and every individual level. This will and can lead to the beginning of required change that will be forceful. Don’t we all know that how truthful we are as a group and a community; when the time comes we do not let any chance go by of materializing any short cut or corrupt methods to pinch and or nick the interest of the country!

People of the nation need to understand that if they want justice that they are so interested in pursuing and seeing being delivered from others for them then they will need to start speaking and practicing the truth at the individual level before they expect others around themselves to do that. Its as simple as that, converting from a nation of hypocrites to a nation of righteous people. May we find our lost selves!

>Indonesia: Endurance and Evolution

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Still feels like yesterday when I first visited Indonesia in the mid eighties! A country with rich heritage and bustling cities. What remained highlight of the journey was Bali. I can still remember hearing from the guides that Indonesia was a rich country vis-à-vis natural resources. At that time the oil piped out of the country was very much close to that of Saudi Arabia. Even then the country was having their troubles; sounds familiar?

Let’s take a snap shot of what is going on today in this still biggest Muslim country based on population spread over 17,508 islands. In 2009 when it draws to the end and the world is sunk in the recession with a hope to recover Indonesia stands tall and bold with a positive GDP that stood at 3.9 percent on quarter to quarter basis and 4.2 percent on year on year basis. There was a constant improving business index in all business sectors. Yet again a case study for us as it is our brother Muslim country and is on the road to progress. Can we initiate such steps that can give us economic stability and a prosperous future?

The country since its independence after the World War II has moved from authoritarian era between its first president Sukarno and then followed by General Suharto till 1998. Following this period the country entered a new era of re democratization and reforms. The era of Reforms has been gradual and picked up speed after 2004 and many organizations and individuals are to the credit to supporting this transition. Thus Indonesia has endured the challenges of facing communism, authoritarian rule and existence of the country. Even then it has got back on track of the evolution in the positive manner.

Indonesia’s main export markets are Japan , the United States, China, and Singapore. The major suppliers of imports to Indonesia are Japan, China, and Singapore. In 2005, Indonesia ran a trade surplus with export revenues of US$83.64 billion and import expenditure of US$62.02 billion. The country has extensive natural resources, including crude oil, natural gas, tin, copper, and gold. Indonesia’s major imports include machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, and foodstuffs.

Trade between Pakistan and Indonesia has been gradually growing from $645.4 million in 2004-2005 to $1254 million in 2008 but it is still at a very low level in view of the size of the markets of the two countries. Pakistan still does not occupy the worth mentioning list of countries that trade with Indonesia.

At the forefront of Indonesian pro business policies is the urge of the government to reform and measures to address Corporate Governance and legal system thus changing the business culture. This approach has paid dividends in form of setting up of new businesses. Strengthening this further the government is granting full liberty for foreign direct investments by virtue of green field operations (new projects) or joint ventures.

As the Chambers of Industries and especially RCCI takes interest in promoting joint trade between the two countries substantiating it further by the FTA to be finalized by the beginning of 2010 this will pave the road for our business community to take advantage of this unexplored territory. Let’s begin the learning process and bring success to our two Muslim countries. Amen!

>Follow to Lead

>It is always taught that in order to lead one has to learn to follow. One wonders if that is the case when we consider our people who are just followers. Will they have the courage to lead when the time comes? Why don’t they lead? Why are we lacking leadership today? We have followers and individuals who pose as leaders but don’t understand the concept or even the definition of leadership.

Chris Cork recently wrote a small article to this tune in The News in which he mentions that people who were taught to follow in the educational system will not lead. I thought he made sense as I had similar observations that the educational system does not inculcate fresh thinking and innovation. That is also the reason our youth is not intrigued to write, question, read. Their brains have been programmed at our educational institutions to think like robots.

since it is hype to coin conspiracies these days. Would it be wrong to say that there was some sort of conspiracy and it could be even a national one that lets keep the masses followers so the ruling elite and leaders would have their own pool to propagate their classes and keep on building their wealth and strength at the expense of the masses that we all know are treated to this day as slaves without much thought to their civil liberties.

Who will be then the follower who will one day lead thy sheep and liberate thy from the shackles of such cruel rulers? Can the follower rise to a leader or this is a myth we were made to believe so that we would just become followers and never taste the leadership once entangled in this deadly trap? Think and make your own mind!!

>Learning from Vietnam

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Vietnam; The hidden Charm

Recently I had the good surprise of being exposed to the country of Vietnam in a different light at the forum of Rawalpindi Chambers of Commerce and Industries. A small delegation comprising of the Ambassador and his colleague the Trade Councilor were on an introductory trip for the RCCI.I had brushed through articles in the Business Journals in the past few years on the success and growth of Vietnam but never had the opportunity to view it in depth. In preparation for attending this meeting when i started to read about the present situation on Vietnam I realized the potential that it holds for us and the whole world. In the meeting that was hosted by RCCI we were fortunate enough as members of the Executive Committee to be exposed to the dialogue that has started between the two offices for the exchange of ideas and trade promotion.

So what are take homes from the success story of Vietnam? Let me give a snapshot of the present Vietnam. Vietnam won its Independence in 1945 and then got stuck in the war that tore the country for 30 years. In 1975 it culminated in the victory that resulted in the countries reunification. This tropical land hosts a population of over 87 million 60% of which is youth and mostly under 25. A very high literacy rate of over 94% helps in making its human resource a great capital. This land is rich in natural resources and exports more than it imports thus building the nation each day.A very young country it stands and boasts its success today because it vowed to take a new turn not too far in the past. As recent as 1986 the country started a campaign “doi moi” (renovation). With such a slogan to rebuild and renovate the country and change the economy to an export based one the country was on a road that would take it on the highway to success. Interesting enough the present form of government system is as recent as 1992 with the present constitution which as further amended in 2001.

Today Vietnam (the hidden Charm) is the fastest growing economies of Asia and has persistently been on growth curve and has been right behind China and ahead of India. It forecasts the possible growth rate of 6.5% in 2010 despite the recession. It is considered to be the favorite for FDI of all the major Economically leading countries and Japan and Singapore has taken keen interest in investing in the economy.

Taking parallels from Vietnam. Pakistan has 4 provinces where as they have 59. Pakistan has a constitution that has been there for much longer where as Vietnam’s constitution is new;1992. Pakistan has more land and diversity in weather and variation in type of land. The agricultural land and canal system of Pakistan is older and superior but is the per hectare production still higher? Pakistan has a similar agro based economy, young population, rich natural resource base. People are hard working at least in the lower echelons of the country.

Lessons for us Pakistanis are that despite being in war for such a long time the country has made a come back. Why? The people of the nation have put in their focus in rebuilding the country. Pakistan has natural resources, human capital, technology and hard working people. What we lack is attitude, patriotism, loyalty, community interest, humility, patience, courtesy. Therefore these short comings overpower our strengths and we result in the situation that we are in. There are certain difficulties and hurdles that all nations face but the belief to see your country rise is the key.Let us read what others have done and how and why they are doing well. Let us deploy the lessons they have learned without reinventing the wheel. They had the will to make their nation successful so they did. If we have the will to make our nation great we Can! Are you ready?

>Hope for Life

>”when your alone I’ll be there by your side” Sade

We roam in our lives setting up targets and goals that we want to achieve. Some do achieve others don’t, those that do are then left with a choice of setting up new horizons. The journey continues and we go on and go on. But as we do we start to end up with new horizons to achieve and that is when it dawns upon us that we are starting to loose the vigor that we had.

Now what do we have to hope for? Nothing? We start to become aimless and loose hope. I happened to come across an acquaintance who i usually buy services from few weeks back who was faced with such a challenge.

A man in his late sixties,physically fit, a master of his skills. Free from his liabilities in form of highly educated children leading successful lives in different parts of the world. What could go wrong with a blessed person like that who is alive, healthy living his life at his own pace? On conversation this senior shared with me his loss of hope in everything and did not feel like working at all.

This expert and skilled enterpneur who enjoyed his peaks in life who contributed towards society by giving back a son to the Armed Force, daughter to international financial institutions had lost hope. He had lost hope for life. He felt that he had nothing to live for as his second line generation had moved on in other careers. The poor man felt left alone and his needs were being met so no need to strive.

A person under such a spell of hopelessness would be most depressed and would have subjective feelings of pains and aches and so did he. I empathized with the individual and realized that the best gift for this person could be Hope for Life.

We forget in our lives that we are on a journey and the end game is not the real game. Its the journey that is important. We need to realign our goals that should be dual or triple sometimes. Illustrating that our friend that needed the hope in his life could think on those lines. He could pickup people in his profession whom he could impart skills that would be his new Hope for Life. He would stay focused on building the lives of young people and get renewed sense of hope and aspiration. In the same way that he was working in the past but with a fresh breeze of Hope.

What a difference this Hope would bring to this person’s life? A smile, a longing, a dream, a future, a freshness, a whole new person………..change your priorities and see the same boring or aimless work could become a passion with a new driver that moves life forward clenching onto Hope!