Faliures of OIC & Recommemdations

OIC – 40 years of failure



THE Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) completed 40 years of its existence last week. It was set up in Rabat, Morocco on September 25, 1969, in reaction to an arson attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque on August 21, 1969, in Al-Quds, carried out by an Israeli.

The meeting was the first unified expression of the Muslim Ummah of its determination to safeguard its interests, speak with one voice and ensure the progress and well being of the Muslims in the world.

It took an organised shape in March 1970, setting up a secretariat in Jeddah and appointing a secretary-general as its head. Two years later, a charter was adopted demonstrating that the OIC`s purpose was to strengthen solidarity and cooperation among Islamic states in all fields.

OIC members represent 22 per cent of the world population, have 2 per cent of the world`s GDP, 1.3 per cent of the world trade and only 1.5 per cent of the investments. Twenty five per cent of OIC population does not have access to medical facilities or safe drinking water.

Half of the population lives below the poverty line classified as the most poor. No Muslim country is in the top list of the Human Development Index or in any other global economic indicators.

This depressing picture of the Islamic countries is not limited to the economic and social spheres, in the realm of education and technology the facts are equally disappointing.

The OIC member countries possess 70 per cent of the world`s energy resources and 40 per cent of available raw material but their GDP is only 5 per cent of the world GDP. Muslim countries miserably lag behind in education and technology.

They produce only 500 PhDs each year as compared to 3,000 in India and 5,000 in the United Kingdom. None of their educational or research institutions or centres of excellence find place in the top 100 in the world.

The last regular summit was held in Putrajaya, Malaysia, in 2003. Under the dynamic leadership of Mahathir Mohammad, the OIC`s performance was judged as unsatisfactory. He identified political inertia, economic underdevelopment, lack of democracy and unrepresentative governments as examples of the malaise afflicting the OIC.

The summit therefore, decided to craft a strategy to suggest reform and restructuring. A commission was set up to draw appropriate recommendations and a special summit was held at Makkah in December 2005 to examine these recommendations.

The Makkah Summit took stock of the OIC`s performance over the previous years and identified its weaknesses and shortcomings.

The Makkah summit made an intensive analysis and issued an ambitious plan of action for the next decade. However, as has been the history in the past, these summits and their declarations are long on promises and short on delivery.

The Makkah Declaration referred to the need for a “fresh vision” to turn the tide in the face of the external threats that have helped exacerbate the Ummah`s current plight and called for a plan for the future of the Ummah. The summit urged the member states to “focus on good governance, wider political participation, establish rule of law, protect human rights, apply social justice, transparency, fight corruption and build civil society institutions”.

The OIC today has 57 Muslim member-states and has held 10 summits in response to the challenges confronting the Muslim world. Since its establishment, the Islamic world has suffered five major catastrophes which have reduced it to almost a non-factor in international politics.

The break up of Pakistan through armed intervention by India in 1971 , the invasion of Lebanon by Israel in 1982, the Iran-Iraq war, Soviet intervention in Afghanistan and the US occupation of Iraq, have dealt a mortal blow to the unity, dignity and sovereignty of the Muslim world.

The OIC has failed to respond meaningfully to any of these crises or demonstrate any unity of thought and action apart from issuing high-sounding declarations at the end of each summit. Nothing was done to contain the crises or avert the tragedies. The OIC remained merely a silent spectator.

The Muslim world has abjectly failed to grasp the demands and requirements of the 21st century. The absolute need to introduce and embrace modern technology has not dawned on its leaders, reflecting their distressing intellectual poverty.

Pakistan`s suggestion to establish a multi-billion dollar fund for the promotion of science and technology did not receive support from the GCC countries, who alone could establish or run this multi-faceted fund.

Pakistan has made some extremely useful proposals to lift the Islamic world out of its present dilemmas.

The suggestions related to (i) an institutional mechanism for conflict prevention and resolution with member states; (II) a network of centres of excellence in science and technology; (iii) establishment of a permanent forum of Islamic thought to provide guidance and opinion; (iv) allocation of adequate financial resources to implement these proposals; (v) allocation of at least 0.5 per cent of the GDP by the member states for implementing OIC objectives; and (vi) a dedicated department in the OIC secretariat for promoting intra-OIC trade.

The OIC has set up a number of institutions to help in capacity building, knowledge networking in areas of knowledge-driven economy, trade and investments, ICT, quality and productivity, sustainable development, governance and poverty alleviation but to date have no achievement to their credit.

Unless OIC members are willing to face the present challenges boldly and demonstrate political will to assert their role in the world affairs, the OIC will continue to fail its members. The current crisis between the West and the world of Islam is yet another opportunity for the OIC to prove its relevance by playing a constructive role by building bridges through an informed dialogue between Islam and other faiths.

Courtesy : Dawn

Procrastination is the thief of time

The quote by Edward Young has carved itself a place on both literal and metaphorical grounds. Procrastination simply means putting off today’s task to a future date. The notion is further strengthened that the time, not valued today, is lost forever and if something is not done at the right time; it might never be done again. It prevails in all social, moral and political areas as time and tide wait for none.

Take care of today’s urgency, unless it may turn to tomorrow’s emergency.

 A little hole in a boat, if not looked into, grows so big to save it. Likewise a little fire, if not controlled immediately develops into a huge conflagration in a few hour’s time. Such are the consequences of procrastination. On the political front, the current socio-economic situation of Pakistan is the glaring example in this regard. Country is wrought with a chronic energy and water crisis, rampant inflation, deteriorating law and order situation, a debt crisis-all a consequence of not addressing problems on time and procrastination on part of successive governments. French Revolution is a case where people miseries were not addressed and mass protests grow so big that changed the entire scenario of French politics and the society gave a new turn and twist to the future events. The great Mughals were also the victim of procrastination. The same Mughal dynasty noted for her triumphs and awe, was no more owing to neglect to their routine affairs and deep slumber.

Procrastinators themselves put obstacles in the path that sabotage their performance; it is not an untamable beast but a habit that one can overcome through personal mastery and will power. Procrastination, indeed, is the thief of the time, energy, self esteem and justice. There are many means to be a loser in life but the surest is procrastination.

The march of civilization has largely depended on the timely action of man. How much does the world owe to its great explorers, navigators and mountain climbers? Who face the wrath of nature and fury of the elements in order to satisfy their inner urge of timely action. George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Louis Pasteur, John Brown and Florence Nightingale are noted figures in this regard.

Poverty (English Passage for CSS/PMS)

by Khurram Pervaiz

Poverty, the state of having little or no money and few or no material possessions, is a social malice; an evil that erodes into the very foundations of a country, slowly but incessantly. As described the mother of all evils, poverty breeds corruption, terrorism, social intolerance and a never ending spate of many other social vices that cause the socio-economic fabric of the society to be frayed. It is an untamed beast, a sphinx riddle and a maze that leads to a blind alley. Since the dawn of time, man has been employing different means to make a dent into the scourge of poverty. From Plato to Machiavelli and from Adam Smith to Karl Marx, all the prominent economic maestros have presented various means and methods to settle the issue of poverty for once and for all, but unfortunately all these attempts were in vain. Neither laissez faire nor socialist economy has found the solution of the ever increasing poverty. Poverty is a worldwide phenomenon. It is an octopus that has made inroads in even the most industrialised nations of the world. Pakistan was founded with an altruistic aim of providing social, religious, economic and political justice to the masses. Though religion is considered to be the main driving force behind the formation of Pakistan, the factor of economy can never be ignored (glossed over). Our Quaid once said to the his party leader before the formation of Pakistan,

“I have seen the villages of India. There is extreme poverty over there. If Pakistan is going to be like this then i don’t need Pakistan.”

This quotation of our quaid underscores the importance of economy in his conception of Pakistan. But unfortunately with the untimely death of our beloved quaid, opportunist landlords have saddled into the seat of power and authority. These big foots, started gobbling the assets of our beloved country in connivance of junta rules. On other hand, India after its independence followed the path of mixed economy under the patriarchal rule of Nehru and now it is reaping the benefits of thriving economy. Whereas, in Pakistan, the difference between the haves and the have-nots is increasing day by day. So called leaders have adopted different quixotic policies to curb the menace of poverty. Starting from the infamous “Trickle-Down” theory of Mehboob-ul-Haq to the mass privatization of the Musharaff’s era, all the economic policies have failed to trickle down the flavour of monetary benefits to the lower strata of the economy. Instead all these policies further screwed down the importunate Jobs of the society. Islam forbids one to accumulate more money than one’s need and commands to spend the money on the poor and needy of the society. The mammoth of poverty can be easily tamed if the rich and the affluent of the society strictly adhere to the commandments of Allah Almighty. We should always remember that Allah says that there is a severe chastisement for those who store up gold and silver without spending it in the way of Allah, on the needy ones of the society.

GRIEVANCES OF DMG OFFICERS

MINUTES OF THE 7TH MEETING OF THE CENTRAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF PAKISTAN CSP & DMG OFFICERS' ASSOCIATION

11 a.m.

Committee Room, R-Block, Pak Secretariat Islamabad

1. The 7th meeting of the present Central Executive Committee of Pakistan CSP & DMG Officers' Association started with recitation from the Holy Quran. The meeting was chaired by Acting President Mr M. Javed Malik, Federal Secretary, Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, Govt of Pakistan, Islamabad.

2. The Acting President welcomed the participants and said that meeting is being held after relatively longer gap and many pressing issues need to be addressed including the recent events in Punjab. He proposed that meeting should be held more frequently.

3. Apologies received from Secretary General Mr Amjad Nazir, Mr Momin Agha and Ms Syeda Shafaq Ali were accepted.

Elections for the next CEC and the four PECs

4. The meeting noted that the executives in the Federal chapter and the four provincial chapters elected in May-June 2009 have completed their tenures and elections for Association offices are already due.

5. The meeting noted that the Punjab chapter successfully held the elections on 24 February 2011 and a new Provincial Executive is already functioning there. The CEC noted that in the true spirit of All Pakistan service, the Punjab based DMG officers have unanimously elected their executive in which not one of the four top office bearers belongs to Punjab. The meeting felicitated Mr Jehanzeb Khan, Punjab Chapter President and his team and wished them well for their efforts to represen all those All-Pakistan Service (DMG) Officers belonging to all four provinces, AJK and GB, who are presently serving in Punjab.

6. The meeting noted that Sind and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapters are in the process of preparation of their Annual General-body Meetings (AGM's) where new executives shall be chosen. The Acting President directed the Treausrer to keep liaison with Sind and KPk chapters of the Association and keep the CEC posted on the arrangement and outcome of the elections. It was also directed that Balochistan chapter may also be advised to prepare for the AGM and elections without delay.

7. The Acting President noted that the previous President Mr Shahid Rafi had initiated a very positive practice of a coordination meeting-cum-dinner of all four provincial presidents with the Federal CEC. In fact, all four provinical chapter Presidents are ex-officio Vice Presidents of the Central Chapter also, representing their provinces of posting. However, before 2009, there was no practice of provincial presidents attending the CEC meetings. The Acting President said that as soon as the four provincial chapters elections are complete, he will host a dinner meeting of all new Presidents of the provincial chapters.

8. The meeting noted that since the 18th President of the Association, Mr Shahid Rafi, has retired, the office of Central President is being looked after by the SVP Mr Javed Malik, as the Acting President. It was resolved that the AGM of the Federal Chapter must be held as soon as the four provincial chapters reorganization is complete. Tentatively, the Federal chapter elections have been scheduled for June 2011. Till then the Acting President will continue to head the Association, as per the Rules and also the past conventions, like in case of Mr Shakeel Durrani and Mr Rauf Chaudhry who were elected SVP's but had to remain Acting Presidents till next AGM could be held.

Annual Dinner and Service Name Restoration

9. The meeting was given a detailed briefing on why the annual dinner was postponed repeatedly during 2010 and ultimately could not be held till date. It was mentioned that there was no slackness on part of the CEC but the proposed Chief Guest had to regret his availability time and again due to security situation in the country, then floods and then due to his political engagements. And as per time-honored tradition, the CSP Officers Association dinner is usually graced by the Head of State or Government, so we kept rescheduling it.

10. The meeting also noted that since DMG is trying to get service name restoration as not only half the federal services have managed that including the PSP, FSP, PAAS, IRS and Customes services (formerly FOG, PG, AAG, ITG and CEG, respectively), but also Provincial Managment Services have got a proper Service name. It was pointed out that the CEC had been endeavoring for announcement of service name restoration at the annual dinner and since no decision on giving back our service name was taken y the Government, so dinner was delayed further in anticipation.

11. The meeting noted that it would not augur well if there is no annual dinner during the present tenure as it goes against the tradition. The meeting authorized the Acting President to contact the Prime Minister's office to ascertain the feasibility of organizing a dinner in the coming weeks, before the next CEC steps in.

12. The meeting also stressed that we should continue our efforts for service name restoration even till our last day in office. The meeting welcomed the posting of Mr Khushnood Lashari as Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, and Mr Abdul Rauf Chaudhry as Secreary Establishment, and hoped that during the tenure of such brilliant, cooperative and well respected officers, the issue of annual dinner and service name restoration will be helped out expeditiously.

Recomposition of the CEC

13. The Acting President expressed his serious concern over the low attendance level at some CEC meetings. It was apprised that six members of the CEC elected in 2009 have ceased to be active members, one (then-President Shahid Rafi) has retired, one officer was implicated in a high profile misconduct case (and as per rules, ceased to be CEC member unless his name was cleared), two officers (Mr Yousaf Naseem Khokhar and Mr Bilal Hyder) have been transferred from Islambad, and the then Chief Commissioner, Islamabad, and Chairman, CDA who are coopted members with every CEC, have long been replaced.

14. The meeting also noted that two members of the CEC remain absent without intimation thereby showing lack of interest in Association affairs.

15. The meeting decided to declare the two seats (mentioned in para 14 ante) as vacant as any CEC or PEC member ceases to remain members if he/she skips three consecutive meetings without intimation to/permission of, the President of the chapter concerned. The meeting also decided that the present Chairman CDA and the incumbent Chief Commissioner Islamabad may be requested to attend CEC meetings as coopted members in place of their predecessors-in-office.

16. The Acting President further said that even though the term of office is drawing to a close, but we should induct members in place of the four vacancies created (as mentioned in para 13 ante) in view of the workload on CEC related to proposed dinner, service name and the Punjab PCS issue. The meeting accordingly decided to request Mr Haroon ur Rasheed, Mr Agha Nadeem, Mr Babar Yaqub Fateh Mohammad, and Mrs Shaista Suhail to accept cooption in the CEC pending the coming elections. If these officers express willingness they will be welcome addition to the Association executive.

PCS Officers agitation in Punjab, arrest of 155 PCS officers, suspension and OSD ship of many of them

17. The CEC held threadbare discussion on the service situation in Punjab and took note of illegal means being employed for myopic self interests of certain persons. The meeting took note of the abusive language used by certain office bearers of a provincial service against the Chief Secretary,IG Police, ACS, and All Pakistan Services officers, that are now uploaded on Youtube and resolved to adopt a course of action within the ambit of the law and in accordance with the decorum and decency expected to All-Pakistan Officers (DMG).

18. The Acting President as well as various members of the CEC informed the meeting about their feedback and opinon about the situation in Punjab from their sources/contacts in Punjab. The meeting noted that 90% of the demands of the PCS officers have been met, ranging from issue of promotions to closing down of DMG provincial chapter office in PCOM Mess, Lahore.

19. The meeting wondered whether the demands by certain elements making such unreasonable and anti Federal demands as the total abolition of All Pakistan Services had to do with advancement of individual career interests of certain provincial services. The meeting took note of the reports that some elements within the agitation have a political backing aimed at embarrassing the Govt of Punjab by creating scenes in Punjab sectt through strikes etc. Thus some officials arrested might not have known that they had been used for political gains by those corners that do not have any sympathy for their service issue or for any benefit of PCS officers in mind. Unkowingly, grievances of PCS officers , actual or perceived, might have been exploited for political objectives in the ongoing wheeling and dealing in provincial politics.

20. The meeting noted that the Pakistan's constitution, flag, armed forces and various inter provincial agreements (such as creation of All Pakistan Services i.e. CSP/ DMG) are our national identity. How can Punjab, or any province alone, for that matter, change any of these features of our national existence unilaterally. Thus, the pressure on Punjab Govt by the PCS is misplaced as the things they now want are not in the purview of any single provincial government.

21. The meeting noted that provincial and state services are an essential part of bureacracies all over the world in democratic nations. But calling for having no All-country Service, militates against the very idea of Federal state. PCS is there in all four provinces and what if the Balochistan PCS starts making similar demands of not needing any All Pakistan Service. Can nation afford such dent on integrity of the federation that the DMG as an All Pakistan Service provides as a binding force to our country, at the present critical juncture of our national history? Can All-Pakistan Services be marginalized only because some officers' individual careers would grow through the vacuum created? The CEC hoped that the PCS officers would be rational and realistic in their demands and will not take law into their own hands in future.

22. The CEC noted that Provincial Civil Servces are as much an essential part of the national governance structures but All Pakistan Services (DMG & PSP) have their own defined role. The cadre and composition rules were never made unilaterally by the Federation, but both in 1954 and 1993, they were formalized after extensive consultations and only after a consensus of all four federating units and the federation itself emerged. It is the voluntary decision of the provinces to give certain share of the posts to All Pakistan Services (CSP-- now DMG) and as such, All Pakistan Service (which is common to Federation and Province) must not be confused with Federal services which belong to federation alone.

23. The CEC further noted that all DMG officers are selected on merit by coming in the top merit from all four provinces from 12,000 or so candidates annually, while the present PMS is not just the ex- PCS(Executive) but also all officers of the erstwhile PCS (Secretariat) have been merged into PMS. Thus double strength from two former services is asking for quota with DMG which has an apportionment formula with former PCS(Exec) only. It is also strange that hundreds of these PMS officers(being from secretariat cadre and thus having no field experience) actually want share in field postings like Commissioner/DCO etc with no background or training in it. So self serving formulas being proposed can hardly be deemed as justfied. The meeting also noted that not all officers of PMS were selected through any province level competitive exam (unlike DMG's all of whom top national-level competitive exams in their respective provine-wise merit lists) as

more than 600 of the PMS are promotees from lower ranks like tehsildars, stenographers etc.

24. The meeting took note of the reports of certain bar associations and an association of tehsildars, supporting the agitation, only in order to oppose merit based DMG officers, who have the courage to decide matters impartially rather than tilting to any vested interests.

25. The meeting also noted that in the past bloc inductionsof PCS(Exe) into the PCS(Jud) have taken place and a large number of provincial officers are in judicary,not only enjoying post upgradation (civil judges from BS-17 to BS-18 and so on up the ladder) but also got rapid promotions and special pay packages applicable to all judiciary. On the other hand, DMG officers did not get either upgradation or pay enhancement over and above other services over the past four decades. While PCS got lion's share in judiciary, on top of it, the constitutionally sanctioned seats in higher judiciary are being denied to the DMG for last many decades due to changes made in seniority rules by previous martial law regimes. The PCS officers present a one sided view of their grievances against the DMG which does not reflect the true picture of how servicecadres were relatively affected by barious adminisrative changes and reforms.

26. The meeting noted that in the past, the PCS officers had right to encadrement and between15-30 percent quota had remained in erstwhile CSP for them in various times. In Pakistan some distinguished CSP's like Ghulamd Ishaq Khan entered the CSP through Provincial service quotas. This practice of rise of Provincial officers into National services after 15 years of service is still in practice in neighbouring countries. Even in Pakistan, provincial police officers get encadrement into PSP. The DMG did not end any quota for PCS but it was decision of previous elected governments and it will not be in national interest if such decisions create inter service rivalries.

27. The CEC noted that DMG officers respect the services rendered by all other service cadres (both federal and provincial) and do not want any rivalry. The DMG officers acknowledge conributions from a lot of outstanding officers from the provincial bureaucracies. The DMG officers' fraternity represents the unity of this federation and are not alien to any of the four provinces. Far from that, the DMG officers belong to the same very provinces recruited through a tougher competition ( than the provincial exams) and are willing to serve all over Pakistan rather than in their province of domicile alone. Hence they want all services to work in their assigned constitutional ambit. The DMG officers are willing to listen to any genuine grievances from any quarter.

28. The Treasurer drew the attention of the House towards a news item in Daily THe News (March 26), i.e. the same morning, whereby PCS Welfare Association has complained that they are not being listened to. He suggested that we should invite PCS office bearers for negotiations over their grievances. The CEC rejected the proposal on the ground that the newly elected Punjab Chapter is already looking into the matter and we should restrict ourselves to supporting our Punjab chapter rather than starting parallel initiatives which would rather complicate the matters. The CEC decided that the good offices of the Central Chapter remain available to our Punjab chapter, as well as, to the Govt and Chef Secreary of Punjab. In case, they feel our help is needed, we would be willing to do so in all manners possible.

29. At the moment, the CEC commends the efforts of our officers posted in Punjab, in dealing with the crisis and supports their endeavors.

30. The CEC also took note of the media campaign against All Pakistan services due to lack of information. The Treasurer apprised the CEC of the steps being taken to present a true picture in the media.

Launch of CSP Website

31. The CEC congratulated the launch of the new version of the CSP/ DMG website but also took note of the financial problems, the webiste is facing. It was noted that there are certain technical problems and many of the links are not showing the data or are not updated. Meeting decided that necessary financial resouces be made available so that technical faults may be removed from website www.civilservice.org.pk so it becomes a befitting website for our service.

CSP Souvenir Coffee Table Book

32. The meeting was briefed about the donations status for the CSP/DMG Coffee table souvenir book as the previous sponsors had backed out from their support. The meeting thanked the DMG officers for contributing generously for the fund and decided that the shortfall may be met so the book is published as soon as possible.

PCS Case in the Supreme Court

33. The meeting noted that the PCS case in the Supreme Court needs resources for it to be contested properly. It was noted that nine officers have donated amount for the PCS case and the amount is in custody of Mr Shan ul Haq, Section Officer, Estab Div who was the focal person for this purpose, as decided by the DMG mailserve. The Treasurer informed that the said officer is doing MCMC course, so could not be contacted on office number while he remained inaccessible through his mobile (continuosly switched off) too, hence the exact present status of amount of donations could not be ascertained. The meeting discussed the cost of lawyers etc and decided to work on it before the next meeting to adopt a coherent and effective stategy to counter the legal challenge to 1954 Cadre and Composition Rules.

Book launch by Miss Kiran Khursheed

34. The meeting was apprised that Ms Kiran Khursheed a young officer has compiled a book on CSP/DMG history, priced at Rs 3000/-, and after a successful book launch in Lahore early this month, she has planned a book launch ceremony for Islamabad as well. The ceremony will be held on Thursday, 31st March 2011, at 4 pm in Islamabad Club. The Acting President of the Association has already consented to preside over the function while former Interior Minister, Roedad Khan, CSP, had kindly consented to be the Guest of Honor, subject to his health condition that day. The CEC complimented Miss Kiran on the work and decided to encourage all officers posted in Islamabad and Peshwar and other near places to attend the book launch ceremony at the date, time and venue mentioned above.

THANKS

35. After lengthy discussion on such a long agenda, the meeting ended with thanks to and from the chair.