Pakistan Democracy Review 2010
Related article: Pakistan Democracy Review 2009 – by Humza Ikram
JANUARY 2010
NFC Award
The 7th National Finance Commission (NFC) award was signed in January . A consensus was reached among Center and provinces ,and between four provinces. Center decided to give provinces 56-58.5 % from the divisible pool and giving back provinces the right to collect the sales tax. and another landmark achievement of this award was mulitple crtieria horizontal distribution based on population 82% ,revenue 5%, backwardness&poverty10.3% ,inverse Population Density (IPD) 2.7 %.
The final percentage share of the provinces decided under NFC was as under: Punjab 51 per cent, Sindh 24 per cent, NWFP 14 per cent and Balochistan would be given 9.9 per cent share of the NFC, according to agreed formula.
As a gesture of support by all provinces and the federal government 1 per cent of the total divisible pool has been earmarked for the NWFP as additional sources for war on terror during the Award period.
March 2010
President signs services tribunal amendment
President Zardari has signed the Services Tribunal (Amendment) Bill 2010, repealed the Removal from Service (Special Power) Ordinance 2000 and Section 2A of the Services Tribunal Act 1973, a controversial clause that deprived redress to employees as they were not allowed to approach labour courts. Signing this bill, president gave voice to the working class.
President Asif Ali Zardari signs anti women harassment bill
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has signed the Protection Against Harassment of Women Bill, 2010, which prohibits harassment of women at the workplace.
Addressing a gathering of some distinguished women guests at the Presidency after signing the historic bill, Zardari said people wanting to harm the ideology of Muhammed Ali Jinnah would not be spared, and that the government is committed to providing a bright future for the coming generations.
“We have to create a Pakistan where the coming generations, my daughters, can be proud of the fact that they live on an equal level as men. We will make sure that those who wish to harm the ideology of Quaid-e-Azam, which was equality for men and women, shall not succeed,” Zardari, as said.
Zardari also asked the private sector to cooperate in the implementation of the act in letter and spirit.
April 2010
UN inquiry report on Benazir Bhutto’s assassination
Related articles: Question , more questions about the ISI’s involvement on Benazir Bhutto’s murder- by Kamran Shafi
A hard-hitting report -Asma Jehanghir
18th Amendment
Senator Raza Rabbani, speaking at a ceremony during which he handed over the committee’s report to the Speaker, said political parties had reached a “historic national alliance and consensus” to create a “federal, democratic, parliamentary and Islamic Pakistan.”
The draft reforms package contains wide-ranging amendments aimed at stripping the President of sweeping powers, including the authority to appoint the three service chiefs and dissolve Parliament.
One-fourth of the Constitution’s articles are likely to be amended by the package. The parliamentary committee has suggested over 100 amendments to 70 constitutional articles.
Related articles:
The 18th amendment: ” A mother can give birth to a child but could not kill th child.”-by Khalid Wasti
Full Text of the 18 Ammendment bill
NWFP renamed as Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa
http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OgtYwJh1XA
Related articles:
Thank you , democrarcy. NWFP to be renamed as Khyber Pakthunkhuwa
Pakthoon will always remember President Asif Zardari
May 2010
launched natitonwide poverty survey under BISP
In first phase survey was conducted in Baluchistan . Survey in rest of the country is currently underway . Poverty survey in FATA will start from 15 Feburary 2011 .
July 2010
Reconstitution of Council of Common Interest (CCI)
President Asif Ali Zardari reconstituted the Council of Common Interests (CCI) on the advice of Prime Minister, Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani under Article 153 of the Constitution. The President named Prime Minister Gilani as Chairman of the CCI. All four chief minister and four federal member are part of CCI.
Related article : Reconstitution of CCI
Gift of life -Adoption of the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act
President became the first in world history to donate all his body organs, after signing the bill to regulate transplant of human organs in the country
President Asif Ali Zardari has said that Pakistan is still in a state of war and urged unity to get through such a crucial time. Addressing a ceremony held in connection with organ donation in Karachi on Thursday, Zardari vowed to establish Gene Banks across the country to provide the public with gene therapy. He said that NADRA ID cards will have a column of organ donation. The President has signed draft of organ donation. The president maintained ‘when the whole world was divided in two blocks, we made human arms’.
Related article: ‘Gift of life’: An important step for the lives of million of Pakistanis-by Hafsa Khawaja
October 2010
Reconstitution of National Economic Council
Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has advised President Asif Ali Zardari to reconstitute the National Economic Council (NEC) by including the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary Gilgit-Baltistan as Members of the NEC.He also advised for inclusion of the Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Prime Minister AJK and Chief Secretary AJK as special invitees to the meeting of NEC.
Related:
Pak-Afghan transit trade agreement formally signed
Pakistan and Afghanistan signed the Pak-Afghan Transit Trade Agreement for boosting bilateral trade and exports.
Pakistan’s Minister for Commerce Makhdoom Amin Fahim and Afghan Commerce Minister Anwarul Haq Ahadi inked the agreement in Kabul, the Daily Times reported.
November 2010
Kala Dhaka announced as settled area
kaladhaka-basikhel-valleyscape
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has said conversion of Kala Dhaka from tribal area into a settled district is another landmark achievement of the government, which will go a long way in addressing the people’s problems in this area. (DailyTimes)
Related article:
Kala Dhaka given status of settled area
Governor Salman Taseer inaugurated the Suraj project
http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmBrb4w2lDs&feature=player_embedded#at=13
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Related :Pakistan Democracy Review 2009 -by Humza Ikram
Pakistan Democracy Review 2010
Did PPP implement its vision of Roti, Kapra, Makan? – by Raja Asad Abbas
Benazir Employees Stock Option Scheme – by Saad Hassan
Stellar yet sadly affronted accomplishments of PPP Government – by Dr. Zaeem Zia
Some Unforgiven Crimes of Asif Ali Zardari -by Raja M Asad Abbas
‘Gift of Life’: An important step for the lives of millions of Pakistanis – by Hafsa Khawaja
Why the PPP government is good for Pakistan – by Fauzia Wahab
Benazir Model Village – Sinawan – Splendid execution
Women’s protection act: Govt to appeal Shariat Court verdict
By APP
Published: December 28, 2010
LARKANA: President Asif Ali Zardari said on Monday that the government will appeal against Shariat Court verdict in connection with safeguarding the rights of women. In his Naudero speech, the president referred to the Women Protection Act and said that during the dictatorial regime of General (retd) Pervez Musharraf, the PPP supported this legislation since the dictator had taken this leaf from the manifesto of PPP.
He said “we paid a heavy price politically for this”. He said the government will appeal against the verdict of Federal Shariat Court in this regard to safeguard the rights of women and our team of lawyers is working on the draft of the appeal.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 28th, 2010.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/95811/womens-protection-act-govt-to-appeal-shariat-court-verdict/
Thank you, Humza, for this excellent review.
Friday, October 15, 2010
EU concessions to lead to GSP Plus status’
By Tanveer Ahmed
KARACHI: The European Union (EU)’s trade concession is a transitory arrangement that would ultimately lead to granting of GSP Plus status to Pakistan, Federal Secretary Commerce Zafar Mahmood said here on Thursday.
While addressing a heavily-attended meeting of businessmen and exporters at Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), Secretary Commerce noted that although Pakistan’s textile value-added sector has been left out in this trade arrangement, however whatever is achieved should be exploited to pave the way for the receiving GSP Plus scheme.
He ruled out the renegotiation on expanding the trade concessions scope by including value-added sector because according to him, it is a unilateral act of EU, which could not be forced to review it.
“What we need is to put our acts together to get maximum benefit from this trade arrangement so that all the efforts put in over the year would not spoil”, Zafar asserted in response to number of queries raised by the businessmen community over the pros and cons of these trade concessions.
He conceded that Ministry of Commerce too has some reservations and pointed out the shortcomings in this trade arrangement but was told that it could not be renegotiated.
He said the EU’s trade concessions would be used to seek similar concessions from USA, Japan, Canada etc. and revealed that in next Pak-USA Strategic Dialogue, the focus would remain on the market access EU from USA as has been given by EU.
About the reservations of the value-added textile sector about the zero rate export of yarn and fabrics and its impact on the domestic shortage and price, Secretary said that it is very important to look into this aspect and interests of the value-added textile sector would be ensured.
Zafar said that EU is expected to file this trade concessions package in World Trade Organization (WTO) by November 02 and would be effective from start of next fiscal.
To review the progress of these trade concessions, he suggested a committee be formed to review its impact on regular interval.
He also elaborated the hectic trade diplomacy pursued by the government in convincing to grant the relief on trade to Pakistan.
In response to a query about the export of live animals, Secretary assured that ban on its export would be re-imposed to provide the raw material to leather industry.
Chief Executive TDAP Tariq Puri said that EU’s trade concessions are big opportunity, which should be exploited by local exporters to register growth in exports. He suggested forming focus group for effective strategy and marketing of the products under this trade deal.
Representatives of trade associations gave divergent views on these trade concessions as some hailed it a positive development while others called it too short to meet the needs of the country’s export sector.
Value-added textile was particularly perturbed over non-inclusion of textile made-ups, which according to them is the mainstay of the export and could have increased the export manifold if added in this trade arrangement.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\10\15\story_15-10-2010_pg5_8
Very Excellent post, splendid efforts,
PPP Govt has achieved a lot at many aspects, all these accomplishments cannot be overlooked,only those who are victims of PPP phobia can avoid it, but it is not a new phenomena, the biggest achievement will be completion of five year term and along with the ruling allies PML-N,ANP and MQM they will attain this too
Great post Humza.
Well written and key points identified.
Why instead of PPP’s flag that of Afghanistan has been published in this article?