Thursday, 30 June 2011
Monday, 27 June 2011
Lobbying for Pakistan on Capitol Hill
By Mansoor Razaque
WASHINGTON: While Pakistani American Community is actively promoting Pakistan’s core interests in Washington D.C, it is sad to note that no Pakistani organization has any credible lobbying at the Capitol Hill; Democrat Congressman from New Jersey Rush D. Holt expressed these views while addressing the annual meeting of Pakistan American Congress (PAC). Mr Rush stated he was supportive of Pakistan’s role in war against terror, but the Osama Bin Laden episode caused strain in Pak-US bilateral relations and now the debate is underway in the Congress to condition US aid to the terror-ravaged county. He expressed hope that despite diplomatic coldness – both countries will manage to resolve misunderstandings since these relations are based on strategic interdependency. “Pakistani Community can play an active role in United States-Pakistan relations”, Mr Rush added.
Republican Congressman from Ohio, Steve Chabot while talking to The Capital Post Chief Editor, Mr Mansoor Razaque, said both countries are jointly fighting war against terrorism. He said countering the Do More demand affects the bilateral relations but realities should guide the decision-making process. Leading Congressional Democrat, Rep. Allyson Schwartz in her address underscored Pak-US relations; she said the US remains committed to helping Pakistan in rooting our terror and is fully appreciative of its sacrifices.
Dr Zulfiqar Kazmi also addressed on the occasion. Pakistan Embassy official Shujaat Rathore dispelled the widespread impression that Pakistan received 20 billion dollars in aid from the United States. He said Pakistan has sacrificed over 40,000 precious lives and incurred financial losses worth 70 billion dollars in the last one decade. “Despite these huge sacrifices, US media is always spreading anti-Pakistan propaganda. Things don’t seem to get better and anti-Americanism is on the rise”, Rathore expressed.
Three Congressmen attended Pakistan American Congress meeting. Congressman Steve Chabot’s speech was attended by only 20 participants while many journalists left the room during conference proceedings protesting over mismanagement.
PAC President Dr Khalid Luqman told The Capital Post that past mistakes and acts of mismanagement would not be tolerated during his tenure. He said robust and proactive approach would now be implemented at all levels to garner support for Pakistan at the Capitol Hill. “We will make our educated youth part of PAC’s future endeavors”, Luqman added.
Speaking on the occasion, PAC Vice President Mohsin Bashir hailed the revival of Pakistan American Congress. He expressed hopes that under new management, a new era of research and development at PAC would usher in which will further deepen United States-Pakistan relations.
If seen in a broader context of public diplomacy, Pakistani American Community seems united to project a soft image of their motherland in their individual capacities; however, their so-called representative organizations continue to be disarray. The executive bodies of these organizations mainly comprise of either less-educated or inexperienced spin-doctors who want to promote their own interests by hosting symbolic get-togethers and photo-shots.
Quite interestingly, friends of Pakistan Caucus in the US House of Representatives (both Democrats and Republicans) seem to question as to why these whole host of organizations don’t get united to project their country’s strategic core interests. On the contrary, Indian Community Organizations bear testimony to this fact.
Onus is on now on Pakistani think tanks and organizations to shun their divisions and get together to meaningfully lobbying the cause of Pakistan as true front-line ambassadors. The sooner they realize it, the better.
The writer is Chief Editor of The Capital Post
www.thecapitalpost.com
Saturday, 25 June 2011
TCP EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Zubair Ahmed Khan
Minister for Rural Development
Sindh
Interview Panel:
Dr Masood R. Qureshi
Ms Adeela Siddiqui
Mr Syed Fareed Hussain
Dr Sadia Irfan
The Capital Post recently had an exclusive interview with Sindh Minister for Rural Development, Mr Zubair Ahmed Khan. During the interview, TCP editorial team discussed with the provincial minister the constraints, issues and new opportunities to bring about a much-needed socio-economic change for the people of rural Sindh.
Political economists opine that this growing rural-urban divide is a serious concern not only for the welfare of the rural population, but also because it is potentially destabilizing. Thus revitalizing the rural economy, accelerating rural growth, and improving the income level of the rural poor is urgently needed.
TCP: Thank you very much – please tell us a bit about your academic background and political career?
ZAK: I thank The Capital Post and its editorial team for giving me this opportunity to present my views to my fellow Pakistani Americans. I was born in Hyderabad (Sindh) in 1970. From my student days, the philosophy and vision of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder Mr Altaf Hussain has been a great source of inspiration for me. For the first time in Pakistan’s history, Mr Altaf Hussain raised a political party taking the middle class on board. He thus created a sense of political participation for all and provided emancipation from bonds of feudal culture. I joined the All Pakistan Muttahida Students Organization (APMSO) and then never looked back. I obtained a masters degree in Economics and then completed my MBA in management sciences from Sindh University.
TCP: Historically and factually speaking, the conditions of rural areas of Sindh still remind us of the Dark Ages? Why is it so?
ZAK: Well - you are right. The rural Sindh embodies about 50% of the province’s population. While urban Sindh’s social indicators equal or surpass the level of development in other developing countries with comparable per capita income, the level of human development in rural Sindh is worse than in some of the Sub-Saharan African states.
In rural areas, nine out of every ten newborns are delivered without proper medical supervision, three out of four girls are not enrolled in school, two out of three adults cannot read or write, and two out of every five of its citizens survive below the poverty line. This increasing social gap in Sindh is the highest among all the provinces. The space widens as one moves to higher education and finally to participation in the job market. The rural-urban duality is widespread in both the economic and social sectors.
Despite all these demerits and feelings of deprivation, we are actively trying to alleviate the sufferings of the people and Sindh government has sanctioned various projects in this regard.
TCP: What were the factors that led to the establishment of Rural Development Department?
ZAK: Sindh is the backbone of Pakistan’s economy. No public sector development programs were undertaken in the province by any government until 1972 when Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto conceived and established this department. The rural development department lost its identity when the other military regimes merged it into the Local Bodies System (LBS). There used to be about 700 employees before its merger with the LBS.
After 2008 general elections, when Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) joined the coalition government in Sindh – we were assigned this department.
TCP: Was it by chance that this department was given to MQM?
ZAK: No – it was not by choice. To date three of MQM’s provincial ministers have no portfolios; therefore it was not at all by choice. When I took oath as provincial minister, the philosophy and vision of Mr Altaf Hussain proved to be a guideline for us to embark on new development projects in rural areas. One of our slogans in 2008 election campaign was “Ikhtiyar Sab Ke Liye” (Empowerment for All), and on the same pattern we re-organized this department to resolve the issues of rural Sindh. This department was officially notified on October 6, 2009 by Sindh Chief Minister. After notification – we undertook a number of rural development schemes keeping in view budgetary constraints.
TCP: What is your departmental criterion for undertaking public welfare schemes?
ZAK: Our ministry can take up development projects only in rural areas meeting certain requirements. For example, we would prefer a populace of minimum of 500 people. When we visit far-flung areas in interior Sindh, it is commonly observed that even villages comprising of 100 or even less habitants do exist. According to official statistics, there are approximately 94000 such villages in Sindh. We have built road networks, provided potable water and basic healthcare to villagers.
TCP: In this 21st century, it is awful to see vast majority of these people are still drinking “Green Water” (water contaminated with Algae)?
ZAK: Yes, this is highly unfortunate. The past governments have done nothing to avert this situation and we had to inherit all these problems. However, ours is a visionary leadership and has a manifesto that promises basic amenities like healthcare, education, shelter and food for all. In 23 districts of Sindh, our department has constructed roads, provided hand pumps especially in Thatta, Badin, Shikarpur and Kashmore districts to alleviate the sufferings of these people.
Considering our performance and viability of projects, Sindh government approved the grant of Rs 316 million for our new projects. However due to worst flooding in 2010 which caused massive destruction of across Pakistan – 30 percent of our budgetary allocation was diverted to Prime Minister’s flood relief fund.
TCP: What is your viewpoint on reports that massive aid was misappropriated in Hand Pump schemes, and like in the past this corruption episode was also hushed up?
ZAK: We had very limited resource allocation for this Hand Pump project. I personally visit all districts to inspect our various ongoing projects since we don’t want any corruption. A few days ago, I visited Ghotki, Sukkur and Thatta districts to look overthe construction of a road at Chal Gari area. The purpose of my visits is to keep a check on the pace of all these projects and make sure that these public welfare schemes are not engulfed by corruption.
The World Bank gave us financial assistance for a number of infra-structure projects. Many such projects could not reach the fruition just due to the lapse of specified time. Under the existing rules and regulations, we cannot directly approach the World Bank or any other donor agency.
TCP: How do you liaise with donor agencies to get funding for your projects?
ZAK: The federal government can liaise with these aid agencies. The ministry of finance notifiesthe chief secretary who then informs us about the availability of funds and resource allocations.
TCP: If seen in a broader context – what are Sindh’s overarching constraints?
ZAK: The constraints facing Sindh are numerous. Some of the province-wide constraints that affect both urban and rural districts, and impede investment and development include regulatory policy uncertainty, law and order, corruption, and a culture of nonpayment for or even outright theft of government provided services, like through utility hook-ups. Attention to these issues is important if rural development is to be successful and enduring. However, strategic framework will not address such overarching constraints. Nonetheless, it is essential that the provincial government address these concerns to buttress direct rural development programs and initiatives.
TCP: Major stumbling block to improving human development in the province is weak governance?
ZAK: The cause of poor service delivery in Sindh is not the under-provisioning of key inputs (teachers, doctors, schools, hospitals, budget outlay), but their low productivity. For example, Sindh has adequate number of teachers, but many of them are either not competent (issue of capacity) or they do not show up for work because there is no effective monitoring system (issue of corruption). The rural residents have little choice in schooling, as government policies do not encourage private schools (issue of competition), and, at the same time, the provincial and local governments work at cross-purposes to undermine each other’s effectiveness (issue of coordination). The “governance deficit” has translated into a “service delivery deficit” in the province. One of the most compelling pieces of evidence supporting the argument above comes from policymakers themselves, who in their response to a survey indicated that the biggest stumbling block to improving human development in the province is weak governance.
TCP: How would you gear up efforts to develop basic infrastructure in rural areas?
ZAK: I think that critical constraint inhibiting rural development is the lack of infrastructure to support agro-enterprises and farmers. The per capita amount of roads, electricity, and domestic water supply is very low, and inhibits economic growth. Farm to market roads, roads linking markets to district centers, and to the national road grid are required. Electricity supply in the hinterland is non-existent or unreliable, making investments in small and medium enterprises unprofitable. Clean water supplies for human consumption are also extremely limited, and contribute to added health problems in rural areas. Investments in all three areas are required to support interventions in directly productive enterprises on the farm, and in enterprises that create rural employment off the farm.
TCP: How much investment does the government plan to make for short, mid and long term projects?
ZAK: In the past, the people who managed rural uplift projects were either not serious at all or fell prey to administrative or political corruption.
The progress on current schemes at the beginning of the fiscal year FY2009-10 as well as new projects included in the PSDP FY2011-12, make up the Rural Investment Plan. These new schemes of FY2012 reflect the priorities of our department and the focus on rural growth and revitalization. Pl note that huge allocations of PRs6 billion and PRs10 billion have been kept for FY2011 and FY2012 and these may be allocated against new schemes (to be formulated from PRs30 billion).
To sum up – It gives me immense pleasure to put it on record that despite financial constraints, we have wisely channeled our budget and launched well-planned schemes. We are involving all stakeholders so that there is no chance of corruption or nepotism as you rightly mentioned had been happening in the past. I would like to be remembered as a minister who delivered for his people. Unfortunately, people are drinking unhygienic water even after 63 years in these areas. It is alarming to note that cases of Hepatitis and Tuberculosis are also on the rise.
TCP: How do you forecast new political scenario in Pakistan? Challenges are cropping up from all sides?
ZAK: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement proposed to convene an all party’s conference to address national issues. Our greatest threat emanates from within and not without. Onus is on all political forces of Pakistan to show exemplary political maturity and tolerance to sort out differences so that Pakistan can see political and economic stability. The MQM and PPP coalition government in Sindh is a good example for others to follow. The people are getting disappointed from this political dispensation since they notice their problems are increasing with every passing day and there is no ray of hope at the end of the tunnel.
MQM also took up the issue of Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) very forcefully. We are against burgeoning unemployment in the country. We don’t want injustice – however, the federal government should take bold steps to quell this ongoing power crisis. Once it becomes serious, all these problems will resolve amicably to the satisfaction of all.
TCP: What do you have to say about the future of Pak-US relations?
ZAK: It lies in our own wider political and economic interests to have equitable relations with United States. Pakistan and United States understand each other’s strategic compulsions and both remain determined to resolving all bilateral issues under the umbrella of civil-military dialogue process. Being a superpower, the US should understand Pakistan’s problems and create an atmosphere which is conducive to peace and development.
TCP: Do you wish to give any message to Pakistani Americans especially business community?
ZAK: Well, Pakistani American community can play a very important role in the rural development of Sindh. We can jointly offer human development programs, vocational training schemes, basic computer training courses etc. We would welcome investments from private sector in our projects. Your organization, Sindh Vision in collaboration with our department can impart technical training in diverse fields such as information technology, resource development etc. I believe growth prospects for our rural areas will get impetus as we see increase in foreign investment and technical assistance. Here I would thank The Capital Post for highlighting the merits and demerits of our rural areas – since we believe in working together and would welcome initiatives in this regard.
TCP: Minister thank you very much for your time
www.thecapitalpost.com
Tuesday, 21 June 2011
58th birthday of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto (Honoring a Legend)
June 21 is a day of enormous joy and pride because we were bestowed upon a leader of high stature in the person of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. As we mark her 58th birthday today - It also conveys the message in no uncertain terms that even after her martyrdom Shaheed Benazir Bhutto continues to be the symbol of the federation of Pakistan that she was in her life.
It was truly an honor for me to meet Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto on many occasions during her visits to United States. In these interactions, I found Shaheed Benazir Bhutto’s life to be an archetypal study of courage, commitment towards people’s well-being, and steel-like resolve to achieve the goals she set for herself.
She took over the shroud of leadership of the Pakistan People’s Party from her illustrious father Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in the most demanding circumstances. She then carried forward his mission and braved the oppression of a dictatorial regime for eleven years with paramount courage. She continued to motivate millions and kept their hopes alive during this dictatorship. It is the sole honor of the PPP that it has its roots in every segment of society – be they workers, laborers, peasants, students, lawyers, teachers, intellectuals and women.
Due to her political insight and leadership, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto made her mark in the world politics. She was a quintessence of courage and fortitude who did not allow her personal tragedies to stand in the way of her larger commitment towards her people.
I believe it pertinent to refer to quotes of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. In her address to a seminar on the bequest of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in April 1989, she said: “Courage and grace in the face of adversity are the hallmarks of a great leader.” In another speech at Columbia University in 1995, Bhutto said: “The character of men and women is shaped by their own ability to triumph over adversity and not to be bowed in the face of a storm.”
She established through personal example that she was a leader who practiced what she preached. There is no misfortune, big or small that she did not face starting from martyrdom of her father, both her brothers, threats to her life and then, to the rigors of exile and detention.
I remember that Shaheed Benazir Bhutto used to say: “Turn your personal pain into your strength. You can surmount world with this power.”
There is a very select and rare class of people who become eternal after their deaths. No doubt Shaheed Benazir Bhutto is one of them. She was a heartthrob of millions of people and continues to rule their hearts and minds even in her martyrdom. Her entire life is a paradigm not only for the people of Pakistan but also the world. She was an embodiment of persistence, resolve and fortitude. Her name will be chronicled in golden words in the chronicles of history.
History will remember Shaheed Benazir Bhutto for three things: firstly, the firm determination to reach out to her people; secondly, the courage to take on huge and seemingly intractable challenges and thirdly, the ability to forgive her enemies.
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto may not be physically with us today but her ideals and vision continue to enlighten our path. The principles and values she fought and died for remain as relevant today as they were in the past.
Despite the fact that there are many aspects of her memorable life, however, I will confine myself to only a few. The first and foremost was her avowal of jihad against militancy, radicalism and terrorism. She evidently warned us of this peril as far back as 1994 in a keynote speech at the Seventh OIC summit in Casablanca. She knew well the dangers to her own life as a result of her stand against terrorism and extremism but the well-being and future of Pakistan were dearer to her heart. Those who killed her may have martyred an individual but they have not silenced the idea that she championed. She led the fight against the forces of darkness from the front and thus by choosing martyrdom at the hands of terrorists, she has safeguarded the future of Pakistan.
Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto brought about positive changes for her countrymen throughout her life. This is just the beginning of a voyage. It is not time yet to hinge on our laurels. We cannot afford to be contented, for we have the debt of huge tasks conferred on us by Shaheed Benazir Bhutto. Let us join one another in the spirit of reconciliation, harmony and friendship to rid Pakistan of the momentous challenges that it faces.
The writer is managing editor of The Capital Post
http://www.thecapitalpost.com
Tuesday, 14 June 2011
Obama visits Puerto Rico today
WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama is set to make history today as the first US president to make an official visit to Puerto Rico in nearly 50 years.
The previous such visit was made by John F Kennedy in December 1961, an image not lost on Obama, who has sparked Kennedy-esque comparisons since he first appeared as a leading Democrat on the national scene.
Since then, Lyndon Johnson was in Puerto Rico in 1968 and Gerald Ford in 1976, but neither visit was directly related to the Caribbean island itself. Johnson launched a military airplane at the Ramey US Air Force Base in Aguadilla, while Ford attended an economic summit.
The White House kept a strikingly low profile ahead of Obama’s trip to Puerto Rico, which is set to last only a few hours.
While some have criticised the fact that Obama devotes so little time to such a historic visit, Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi - Puerto Rico’s representative to the US Congress, albeit without the right to vote - stressed its “huge” significance.
“No (US) president has been here in 50 years. It tells the world that he cares about Puerto Rico,” Pierluisi told reporters.
Obama already knows Puerto Rico, since he visited it twice as a presidential candidate. His current agenda appears to have a similar backdrop of elections 2012.
http://www.thecapitalpost.com
CIA plans Yemen drone strikes
WASHINGTON: The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is preparing to launch a secret program to kill al Qaeda militants in Yemen, where months of antigovernment protests, an armed revolt and the attempted assassination of the president have left a power vacuum, U.S. officials say.
The covert program that would give the U.S. greater latitude than the current military campaign is the latest step to combat the growing threat from al Qaeda's outpost in Yemen, which has been the source of several attempted attacks on the U.S. and is home to an American-born cleric, Anwar al-Awlaki, who the U.S. sees as a significant militant threat.
The CIA program will be a major expansion of U.S. counterterrorism efforts in Yemen. Since December 2009, U.S. strikes in Yemen have been carried out by the U.S. military with intelligence support from CIA. Now, the spy agency will carry out aggressive drone strikes itself alongside the military campaign, which has been stepped up in recent weeks after a nearly yearlong hiatus.
http://www.thecapitalpost.com
Google 'applying for China mapping licence'
Beijing: Google and its joint venture partner in China have applied for a licence to operate an online mapping service in the world's biggest web market,
The State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping was reviewing the application from Beijing Guxiang Information Technology Co., which operates Google's mapping service in China, Dow Jones Newswires said.
Google declined to confirm the report when contacted by AFP and calls to the government agency were not answered.
"We’re in discussions with the government about how we could offer a maps product in China," Google's Beijing-based spokeswoman Marsha Wang told AFP, repeating an earlier statement.
China has the world's biggest online population of 477 million, according to official data.
Beijing has so far granted licences to dozens of companies to provide web mapping after new rules were introduced last year requiring all firms providing Internet map and location services in China to apply for approval.
Foreign firms wanting to provide those services in China are required to set up joint ventures or partnerships with local firms.
Google has seen its share of the lucrative Chinese search market slide to the profit of local rival Baidu as tensions with Beijing increased over a number of cyberattacks the US web giant claims originated in China.
This month, Google said it had been hit by a cyberspying campaign targeting Gmail accounts of senior US officials, journalists and activists, which appeared to have come from Jinan, in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong.
Beijing angrily denied the charge.
There was no indication whether the Gmail spying campaign was related to a China-based cyberattack on Google that prompted the company early last year to stop bowing to Internet censors and reduce its presence in the country.
http://www.thecapitalpost.com
US gives $193 million for flood affectees
ISLAMABAD: The US has released $193 million to Pakistan for Citizen Damage Compensation Plan (CDCP) to provide financial assistance to the 1.6 million flood-affected families.
The government has already paid Rs 20,000 installment to the flood-affected families and is planning to give another Rs 20,000 to them by the end of June or early July, official sources at the Ministry of Finance informed on Tuesday. According to the official sources, the total CDCP programme financing requirement is approximately $580 million of which the government of Pakistan has committed to provide $100 million as counterpart funding to match the approximately $480 million donor funds.
The CDCP is expected to receive parallel confirmed financing of $190 million from USAID, whereas Italy and DFID are in the process of formalising their contributions of $65 million and up to $100 million, respectively.
France, Australia, and Canada are considering support for the CDCP as well. In addition to the financing of almost $400 million of cash grants in Phase I of the CDCP, the government of Pakistan has committed $100 million for cash grants to Phase II of the programme. The government, co-financing donors, and IDA will enter into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) committing the necessary resources for the CDCP as a condition of effectiveness.
The MoU will outline the guiding principles for engagement, responsibilities of participating donors and government, as well as specific areas of contribution and amounts committed with the objective of clearly tracking funding sources and avoiding duplication. The government intends to implement Phase II of the CDCP to continue to support the recovery of flood-affected households. The initial payment of Rs 20,000 helped households to cover immediate needs.
http://www.thecapitalpost.com
The government has already paid Rs 20,000 installment to the flood-affected families and is planning to give another Rs 20,000 to them by the end of June or early July, official sources at the Ministry of Finance informed on Tuesday. According to the official sources, the total CDCP programme financing requirement is approximately $580 million of which the government of Pakistan has committed to provide $100 million as counterpart funding to match the approximately $480 million donor funds.
The CDCP is expected to receive parallel confirmed financing of $190 million from USAID, whereas Italy and DFID are in the process of formalising their contributions of $65 million and up to $100 million, respectively.
France, Australia, and Canada are considering support for the CDCP as well. In addition to the financing of almost $400 million of cash grants in Phase I of the CDCP, the government of Pakistan has committed $100 million for cash grants to Phase II of the programme. The government, co-financing donors, and IDA will enter into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) committing the necessary resources for the CDCP as a condition of effectiveness.
The MoU will outline the guiding principles for engagement, responsibilities of participating donors and government, as well as specific areas of contribution and amounts committed with the objective of clearly tracking funding sources and avoiding duplication. The government intends to implement Phase II of the CDCP to continue to support the recovery of flood-affected households. The initial payment of Rs 20,000 helped households to cover immediate needs.
http://www.thecapitalpost.com
Monday, 13 June 2011
US firms could have crashed in Pak: WikiLeaks (1 post)
WASHINGTON: A WikiLeaks cable reveals that the American companies could have lost an estimated $1.82 billion investment due to unfair handling of the situation by the Pakistani government.
In a cable sent to Washington on January 26, 2008, the American ambassador said that the US embassy received complaints many of which were against the caretaker government of Pakistan.
The General Electric Company, Oracle, Bell Helicopters and AES experienced problems in the issuance of while Chevron and AES had not been paid millions of dollars under the heads of energy products and services.
Netsol and Microsoft have experienced non-compliance or interference in intellectual property rights violations. According to the ambassador, the governments in Pakistan face cash crunch no matter which party rules the country.
http://www.thecapitalpost.com
In a cable sent to Washington on January 26, 2008, the American ambassador said that the US embassy received complaints many of which were against the caretaker government of Pakistan.
The General Electric Company, Oracle, Bell Helicopters and AES experienced problems in the issuance of while Chevron and AES had not been paid millions of dollars under the heads of energy products and services.
Netsol and Microsoft have experienced non-compliance or interference in intellectual property rights violations. According to the ambassador, the governments in Pakistan face cash crunch no matter which party rules the country.
http://www.thecapitalpost.com
Fussy Eaters
By: Dr. Sadia Irfan: Fussy eaters are children who have eating difficulties at some point between second to sixth years. They eat the same food at every meal and feel nervous to try new food. Fussy eating can lead to under-nutrition which leads to children?s growth and development. It also affects the academic performances as well.
It may also leads to growth complications, increased chronic illness and risk of developing eating disorders in later life.
Causes:
Uncomfortable position while feeding or nose block due to secretions or being pushed by other breast while breast feeding. In bottle feeding child, the hole in nipple may be small that the child tires easily.
Fussy eating habits are more acquired. Anxious mother are more likely to have anxious child. The child’s nervous system would have not matured enough to recognize when the stomach is full.
What to be done:
Serve the food as fresh and present in attractive way.
Meal time should be pleasant and relaxed.
Talk about food, this can encourage the child to eat.
Allow the children to choose from one or two items from the menu.
Give the child the same food you eat.
Tips for coping this problem:
Find the meals that rest of the family eats. Include one or two items which the child dislikes.
Serve smaller portion of food for the child.
Avoid forcing the child to eat.
Make the meal time more pleasant and enjoyable.
Limits snacks and drinks between meals so that the child feel hungry.
Proved drink after meals.
When the child is hungry offer new foods.
Avoid substituting milk for meals.
Do not force the child to have food.
Encourage the child in physical activities so that he will lose energy and feel hungry.
Food shopping with kids: Allow the child to choose an item to buy from supermarket.
Make meal preparation along with your child.
Avoid keeping junk foods at home.
Do not punish the child.
Serve the healthy foods and cooked in right way.
Cook variety of foods and color them or decorate them with smiley’s
Avoid bribing them like giving a desert if the child eats and finished the corn.
Provide health meal and allow the child to choose what food it wants to eat.
Avoid adding additives like adding sugar or salt to curds.
Evaluate the child’s diet on a weekly basis.
Avoid power struggles around the food.
Set a good example.
Avoid empty calorie snacks like crisps, soft drinks.
Invite other child for meal, preferably with one with good appetite.
by Dr. Sadia Irfan
http://www.thecapitalpost.com
It may also leads to growth complications, increased chronic illness and risk of developing eating disorders in later life.
Causes:
Uncomfortable position while feeding or nose block due to secretions or being pushed by other breast while breast feeding. In bottle feeding child, the hole in nipple may be small that the child tires easily.
Fussy eating habits are more acquired. Anxious mother are more likely to have anxious child. The child’s nervous system would have not matured enough to recognize when the stomach is full.
What to be done:
Serve the food as fresh and present in attractive way.
Meal time should be pleasant and relaxed.
Talk about food, this can encourage the child to eat.
Allow the children to choose from one or two items from the menu.
Give the child the same food you eat.
Tips for coping this problem:
Find the meals that rest of the family eats. Include one or two items which the child dislikes.
Serve smaller portion of food for the child.
Avoid forcing the child to eat.
Make the meal time more pleasant and enjoyable.
Limits snacks and drinks between meals so that the child feel hungry.
Proved drink after meals.
When the child is hungry offer new foods.
Avoid substituting milk for meals.
Do not force the child to have food.
Encourage the child in physical activities so that he will lose energy and feel hungry.
Food shopping with kids: Allow the child to choose an item to buy from supermarket.
Make meal preparation along with your child.
Avoid keeping junk foods at home.
Do not punish the child.
Serve the healthy foods and cooked in right way.
Cook variety of foods and color them or decorate them with smiley’s
Avoid bribing them like giving a desert if the child eats and finished the corn.
Provide health meal and allow the child to choose what food it wants to eat.
Avoid adding additives like adding sugar or salt to curds.
Evaluate the child’s diet on a weekly basis.
Avoid power struggles around the food.
Set a good example.
Avoid empty calorie snacks like crisps, soft drinks.
Invite other child for meal, preferably with one with good appetite.
by Dr. Sadia Irfan
http://www.thecapitalpost.com
Saudi Arabia increases its oil production
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi attends the opening of the Ministerial Conference of the Organisation of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) in Cairo
Just days after OPEC organisation had decided not to increase its oil production ,Saudi Arabia had decided on its own to increase its oil production ,the immediate effect of this decision is the diminution of oil price in international market ,this decision is a sign of rivalry inside OPEC between Saudi Arabia clan and Iran clan ,it seems Iran clan control OPEC ,but the could not control Saudi Arabia ,this country is the advocate of oil price ranging between 80 and 100 dollars ,as for Iran and its allies they want oil price to go beyond 150 dollars a barrel in order to serve their hidden agenda.
http://wwwthecapitalpost.com
Saturday, 11 June 2011
Friday, 10 June 2011
Wednesday, 8 June 2011
Eight Nato oil tankers destroyed in blast
PESHAWAR: At least eight tankers, supplying oil to Nato in Afghanistan, were completely destroyed in a blast in Khyber Agency.
According to Khasadar force, the oil tankers were parked near Torkham border in Khyber Agency when blast occurred. The blast caused a huge fire which engulfed oil tankers, resulting eight tankers were completely destroyed.
No loss of life has been reported in the incident.
thecapitalpost.com
According to Khasadar force, the oil tankers were parked near Torkham border in Khyber Agency when blast occurred. The blast caused a huge fire which engulfed oil tankers, resulting eight tankers were completely destroyed.
No loss of life has been reported in the incident.
thecapitalpost.com
US economic outlook uncertain: GM CEO
DETROIT: The US economy is on increasingly unsteady footing, hurt by stubbornly high unemployment and volatile oil prices, the head of General Motors Co told reporters on Wednesday. "There's a lot of uncertainty about a jobless recovery, how strong is the recovery going to be? There's a lot of concern about oil prices ... so there's some question about how strong the recovery will be," said Daniel Akerson, who has served as chief executive of the largest US automaker since September 2010.
Ahead of the company's first meeting with shareholders since emerging from bankruptcy in 2009, Akerson said the company wants to grow profitably and will not price vehicles to gain market share at the cost of profit margins. He also said the United States must address the issue of its rising federal deficit, and that it would shake global debt markets if the country were to default on its obligations.
The US government, which funded the bailout that allowed GM to emerge from bankruptcy, still owns 32 percent of GM's common shares. Many investors see the Treasury stake in GM as an overhang on the stock's value. Sources told Reuters last month that the government does not plan to start selling its remaining shares until August at the earliest, after GM's second-quarter results.
Buybacks hinge on US stake: That, in turn, is holding up any decision by GM to buy back its shares, which have lost some 22.5 percent of value so far this year, at a time when the broad Standard & Poor's 500 index is up 2 percent.
"The primary driver of any further balance sheet activities will, I think, in the near term be driven by the government's decision of when or when they will not exit the company," Akerson said. Investors will also get a deeper look into rival Ford Motor Co later on Tuesday when that company's management meets with analysts to lay out their long-term growth strategies, particularly for emerging markets.
Akerson acknowledged that the company still faces many challenges. "We've strung five consecutive quarters of profitability together, but no one said this was going to be a lay-up," he said. "There's a lot of work to be done over the next couple of years, not only at General Motors but throughout the industry." GM's shares gained about 6 cents to $28.62 in early trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
http://www.thecapitalpost.com
Ahead of the company's first meeting with shareholders since emerging from bankruptcy in 2009, Akerson said the company wants to grow profitably and will not price vehicles to gain market share at the cost of profit margins. He also said the United States must address the issue of its rising federal deficit, and that it would shake global debt markets if the country were to default on its obligations.
The US government, which funded the bailout that allowed GM to emerge from bankruptcy, still owns 32 percent of GM's common shares. Many investors see the Treasury stake in GM as an overhang on the stock's value. Sources told Reuters last month that the government does not plan to start selling its remaining shares until August at the earliest, after GM's second-quarter results.
Buybacks hinge on US stake: That, in turn, is holding up any decision by GM to buy back its shares, which have lost some 22.5 percent of value so far this year, at a time when the broad Standard & Poor's 500 index is up 2 percent.
"The primary driver of any further balance sheet activities will, I think, in the near term be driven by the government's decision of when or when they will not exit the company," Akerson said. Investors will also get a deeper look into rival Ford Motor Co later on Tuesday when that company's management meets with analysts to lay out their long-term growth strategies, particularly for emerging markets.
Akerson acknowledged that the company still faces many challenges. "We've strung five consecutive quarters of profitability together, but no one said this was going to be a lay-up," he said. "There's a lot of work to be done over the next couple of years, not only at General Motors but throughout the industry." GM's shares gained about 6 cents to $28.62 in early trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
http://www.thecapitalpost.com
Tuesday, 7 June 2011
CENTCOM chief meets Pak army's top brass
ISLAMABAD: Chief of the US Central Command Gen James Mattis held meetings with Pakistan's military leadership and discussed with them the regional and security situation, especially in the aftermath of drone attacks and the Abbottabad operation.
In his meetings with Pakistan army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Chairman Joint Chiefs of the Staff Committee Gen Khalid Shamim Wynne, the visiting US general took the military leadership into confidence and stated that without Pakistan’s cooperation and help, process of reconciliation in Afghanistan cannot move forward.
He said the situation in Afghanistan directly affects Pakistan and the US wants both the countries to forget the misunderstandings of the past and take immediate steps for the confidence building between the two countries.
According to sources, both sides also discussed the situation in the post-Abbottabad operation scenario while Pakistan’s military leadership took up the drone attacks’ issue with the US military leadership and urged the US to respect parliament’s consensus resolution in this regard, as such attacks would have negative effects on the two countries’ relations. In the meeting the Pak-Afghan border issues were also discussed.
http://www.thecapitalpost.com
In his meetings with Pakistan army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Chairman Joint Chiefs of the Staff Committee Gen Khalid Shamim Wynne, the visiting US general took the military leadership into confidence and stated that without Pakistan’s cooperation and help, process of reconciliation in Afghanistan cannot move forward.
He said the situation in Afghanistan directly affects Pakistan and the US wants both the countries to forget the misunderstandings of the past and take immediate steps for the confidence building between the two countries.
According to sources, both sides also discussed the situation in the post-Abbottabad operation scenario while Pakistan’s military leadership took up the drone attacks’ issue with the US military leadership and urged the US to respect parliament’s consensus resolution in this regard, as such attacks would have negative effects on the two countries’ relations. In the meeting the Pak-Afghan border issues were also discussed.
http://www.thecapitalpost.com
Clashes, shelling kill 19 in Yemen
SANAA: Clashes have killed a total of 19 people, including three children, in two Yemeni provinces, military and medical officials said Tuesday, signaling no respite to the violence in the poor Arab nation shaken by months of unrest.
Even after the departure of its embattled leader of nearly 33 years, the officials said dozens of suspected Muslim militants attacked an army position in the southern Abyan province late Monday night.
The ensuing gunfight left nine soldiers and six of the attackers dead. The post in the province's Doves area remains in the hands of the army. Abyan is known to be home to some al-Qaida militants, but the military officials could not say whether the attackers belonged to the terror network.
www.Thecapitalpost.com
Even after the departure of its embattled leader of nearly 33 years, the officials said dozens of suspected Muslim militants attacked an army position in the southern Abyan province late Monday night.
The ensuing gunfight left nine soldiers and six of the attackers dead. The post in the province's Doves area remains in the hands of the army. Abyan is known to be home to some al-Qaida militants, but the military officials could not say whether the attackers belonged to the terror network.
www.Thecapitalpost.com
Monday, 6 June 2011
Friday, 3 June 2011
Polish, German soldiers killed in Afghanistan
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