Sarfraz Ali
Islamabad, March 26th - The World Economic Forum today released its 8th annual Global Information Technology Report 2009. The Report gauges a country's connectedness in the global environment through its Information and
Communication Technology infrastructure. It compares participating countries on a range of Information and Communication Technology proxies and variables, which are considered to be the key enablers of economic and social progress, growth and productivity. This year's Report has in particular focused on how information and communication technology, and networked readiness have fostered innovation.
The Global Information Technology Report has followed the ICT revolution and evolution over the years. ICT has encouraged transparency in government processes and improved countries' efficiency and services to citizens. This year, Pakistan ranked 98th out of 134 countries, which is indicative of a weak information and communication technology base. It was a drop of nine spots from last year's ranking of 89 out of 127 countries. In order to improve its network connectedness, Pakistan should invest more in ICT infrastructure, related services and more broadly, innovation.
Some of Pakistan's other competitive disadvantages identified by the Report are the absence of adequate competition in the market place (112), unnecessarily long procedures to enforce a contract (119), extremely low expenditure on education (119) and equally low enrollment in tertiary education (114). Significant drops were seen in spending on R&D from 72nd spot to 86th this year, Government prioritization of ICT from 38th to 57th, and a staggering drop in the quality of education system from 85th to 104th.
The Information and Communication Technology Report's rankings are based on the Networked Readiness Index which measures the likelihood that countries will exploit the opportunities offered by Information and Communication Technology services. It tries to comprehend the impact of ICT on the competitiveness of nations. The NRI is a composite of three components; the environment of ICT offered by a country's government; the readiness of governments, businesses and individuals to use ICT; finally, usage of ICT among these three stakeholders. Pakistan ranked 112 in the environment component, 101 in the readiness component and 92 in usage component indicating that although the environment and infrastructure are not properly delivered, but the usage is still pretty good.
According to this year's Global Information Technology Report, Denmark, Sweden, and United States secured the top three ranks respectively, further consolidating the fact that they have the most solid information and communication technology base. Switzerland dropped two spots to 5th, and was replaced by USA in the 3rd rank. Singapore climbed up to the 4th rank from 5th and Iceland climbed up one spot to 7th from 8th. This year, Canada entered the top ten slot ranking 10th, whereas last year it was at 13th. Norway dropped two spots to number 10th from 8th.
The Competitiveness Support Fund is a joint venture of the Ministry of Finance, Government of Pakistan, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), established to reposition Pakistan's economy on a more global footing.
USAID's support for CSF is part of the $2.8 billion aid that the U.S. Government has provided to Pakistan since 2002 to improve economic growth, education, health, and governance and to reconstruct the earthquake-affected areas.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Lost in Translation
Sarfraz Ali
Few days back I happened to I spend two days at district jail Gujrat, not because I was a journalist but owing to my relations with a close friend of mine. At about 1:30 am I got off the bus. Apparently I tried to look confident, as all the rickshaw drivers wanted me to board their vehicle. Their apparent reason of interest was not a secret for me. But to who should I go was a difficult option. Anyhow, I moved towards a rickshaw, which was standing at a little distance. I bargained with the driver but he made me surrender just for two things, his poverty and hatred for President Musharraf.
Soon I was running fast sitting inside the mini-cab Baboo Ge' why are you going to jail at this hour of night, the driver asked me with such innocence as if I was going to the Paradise. My friend is jail superintendent here I replied from the back. Really Baboo Ge! His wonder was profound. Perhaps he could never think of such a relation. After this short conversation a pause ensued. The two-stroke vehicle pierced through silence. The night too was lying pregnant to beget a new day. All the streets were under my deep observation being the city an old kingdom of the former chief minister. Every sight was desened except the billboards used during the last election campaign. One hoarding appeared so mighty that the whole city seemed to be under its shadow. A giant sitting on it pretending to be the Quaid-like leader was giving a conspiratorial smile. Probably challenging us both, would you get the judges re1nstated Remember, I am stifling connection with the man in strong boots. The driver just looked towards him with fierce eyes. The whole blood rose to the veins of his retina and he was burning in anger. Another sign bcard carrying the picture of ever-eloquent speaker and former prime minister made me giggle. I could remember ZA Bhutto's speech where he had torn into pieces the resolution in the Security Council. One making the world leaders fears of his words and the state he was ruling, the other making sure that people could just understand him. One leader known worldwide because of his versatile dressing, the other doing press conference wearing dark glasses at mid night. My God! By whom we have been being ruled over the last many years. Another unique feature of this politician, which hits me hard, is his fluency in speaking. Over the years different races, especially in our region have been facing problems of accent and intonation while talking in target language. But this man is facing the same problem even speaking in Punjabi. As far Urdu Is concerned, he is helpless. Suppose BBC or CNN correspondent talking to him live, my goodness! An interesting experience for non-native speakers around the world. But being a politician he too has got a mind to escape from such mind-boggling embarrassments. I daily wait seeing him during a press conference on some English news channel. Would he ever expose himself to the public seems a difficult question.
Lo and behold another board reading, 'Parha Likha Punjab'. I laughed out of my ribs. Thought of THAT speaker was still haunting me. Did this slogan benefit him a bit expecting something good out of it for a common man was just a sheer foolishness? In fact it was an election campaign launched with farsightedness by the short-sighted politicians. Messages and pictures of two exsaviours of Pakistan inscribed on every textbook was In fact an idea being given to the next generation. The poor people having no bread and shelter took it as the blessing of God whereby they were provided free books and milk packs too. Who were to be provided with the milk but who got fat and healthy is another story for this I am not blaming the saviours; it was between the teachers and the taught.
Billboard? Yes, it was hoisted at the middle of the chowk heralding some ones slogan or ideology. Some eight to ten heavy tube lights were actively engaged in making the motto cleat~ But alas! All such awareness at the cost of two lives in city as per day because of scorching heat. Are Chaudhrys themselves educated?
Another signboard was feeling light having the portrait of a young politician. Saviour of yours and mine! He might be educated in appearance but as far as the Ideology Is concerned he too Is traditionalist like his forefathers.
This clan lost badly in the polls that too in their own kingdom. Imagine power of the ruler and the ruled! How foolish the clever people are the driver commented. We concluded the same. That was what I was convinced of while hiring the rickshaw.
After a short but noisy distance, the hue and cry came to an end. Like many others, I too disliked presidents rozgar scheme owing to the quality of the livelihood being provided to the poor.
I knocked at the big door installed in the wall of the district jail. An old, thin and starved policeman appeared from behind the door. His shank was hardly able to support his weak body. Dressed in grungy uniform, he was exhausted to a skeleton. His bullet less gun was far heavier than his body. Doesnt this credit go to Chudhrys Surely it does.
The article was published in Sunday Plus (TheNation) on June 22,2008
Few days back I happened to I spend two days at district jail Gujrat, not because I was a journalist but owing to my relations with a close friend of mine. At about 1:30 am I got off the bus. Apparently I tried to look confident, as all the rickshaw drivers wanted me to board their vehicle. Their apparent reason of interest was not a secret for me. But to who should I go was a difficult option. Anyhow, I moved towards a rickshaw, which was standing at a little distance. I bargained with the driver but he made me surrender just for two things, his poverty and hatred for President Musharraf.
Soon I was running fast sitting inside the mini-cab Baboo Ge' why are you going to jail at this hour of night, the driver asked me with such innocence as if I was going to the Paradise. My friend is jail superintendent here I replied from the back. Really Baboo Ge! His wonder was profound. Perhaps he could never think of such a relation. After this short conversation a pause ensued. The two-stroke vehicle pierced through silence. The night too was lying pregnant to beget a new day. All the streets were under my deep observation being the city an old kingdom of the former chief minister. Every sight was desened except the billboards used during the last election campaign. One hoarding appeared so mighty that the whole city seemed to be under its shadow. A giant sitting on it pretending to be the Quaid-like leader was giving a conspiratorial smile. Probably challenging us both, would you get the judges re1nstated Remember, I am stifling connection with the man in strong boots. The driver just looked towards him with fierce eyes. The whole blood rose to the veins of his retina and he was burning in anger. Another sign bcard carrying the picture of ever-eloquent speaker and former prime minister made me giggle. I could remember ZA Bhutto's speech where he had torn into pieces the resolution in the Security Council. One making the world leaders fears of his words and the state he was ruling, the other making sure that people could just understand him. One leader known worldwide because of his versatile dressing, the other doing press conference wearing dark glasses at mid night. My God! By whom we have been being ruled over the last many years. Another unique feature of this politician, which hits me hard, is his fluency in speaking. Over the years different races, especially in our region have been facing problems of accent and intonation while talking in target language. But this man is facing the same problem even speaking in Punjabi. As far Urdu Is concerned, he is helpless. Suppose BBC or CNN correspondent talking to him live, my goodness! An interesting experience for non-native speakers around the world. But being a politician he too has got a mind to escape from such mind-boggling embarrassments. I daily wait seeing him during a press conference on some English news channel. Would he ever expose himself to the public seems a difficult question.
Lo and behold another board reading, 'Parha Likha Punjab'. I laughed out of my ribs. Thought of THAT speaker was still haunting me. Did this slogan benefit him a bit expecting something good out of it for a common man was just a sheer foolishness? In fact it was an election campaign launched with farsightedness by the short-sighted politicians. Messages and pictures of two exsaviours of Pakistan inscribed on every textbook was In fact an idea being given to the next generation. The poor people having no bread and shelter took it as the blessing of God whereby they were provided free books and milk packs too. Who were to be provided with the milk but who got fat and healthy is another story for this I am not blaming the saviours; it was between the teachers and the taught.
Billboard? Yes, it was hoisted at the middle of the chowk heralding some ones slogan or ideology. Some eight to ten heavy tube lights were actively engaged in making the motto cleat~ But alas! All such awareness at the cost of two lives in city as per day because of scorching heat. Are Chaudhrys themselves educated?
Another signboard was feeling light having the portrait of a young politician. Saviour of yours and mine! He might be educated in appearance but as far as the Ideology Is concerned he too Is traditionalist like his forefathers.
This clan lost badly in the polls that too in their own kingdom. Imagine power of the ruler and the ruled! How foolish the clever people are the driver commented. We concluded the same. That was what I was convinced of while hiring the rickshaw.
After a short but noisy distance, the hue and cry came to an end. Like many others, I too disliked presidents rozgar scheme owing to the quality of the livelihood being provided to the poor.
I knocked at the big door installed in the wall of the district jail. An old, thin and starved policeman appeared from behind the door. His shank was hardly able to support his weak body. Dressed in grungy uniform, he was exhausted to a skeleton. His bullet less gun was far heavier than his body. Doesnt this credit go to Chudhrys Surely it does.
The article was published in Sunday Plus (TheNation) on June 22,2008
Monday, March 23, 2009
Violence threatens journalists in South Asia: CPJ
MANILA - Journalists in South Asia face 'severe risks' amid escalating violence in the region, the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said in a report released in the Philippines Monday.
Attacks on media workers in Sri Lanka and Pakistan have increased and four other countries in the region -- Afghanistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and India -- also qualified for the CPJ's "impunity index."
The index, launched last year, lists countries where journalists are routinely killed or attacked and where governments have failed to solve the crimes.
"South Asian journalists face particularly severe risks. The region's nations make up nearly half of CPJ's index," said the report, released in Manila to mark the fourth anniversary of the murder of Marlene Esperat, a local journalist killed for reporting on official corruption.
Iraq, Sierra Leone and Somalia topped the list for the second year running, with a total of 103 journalists killed since 1999.
But the CPJ said there had been a surge of violence in Sri Lanka, including the fatal stabbing of a television cameraman, as the government battles the separatist Tamil Tiger rebels.
Journalists in Pakistan meanwhile are under threat from militant and criminal religious organisations, while political groups frequently attack media workers in Nepal, it said. "We're distressed to see justice worsen in places such as Sri Lanka and Pakistan," said Joel Simon, CPJ's executive director. "Our findings indicate that the failure to solve journalists' murders perpetuates further violence against the press."
"We call on the Philippine government to take the hard steps needed to gain convictions," said Elisabeth Witchell, CPJ's campaign coordinator, adding that government should assign special prosecutors and move trials in safer venues.
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