World

Learn from Singapore

Written

3 years ago

Feb 02, 2021 12:36 AM

Malik Asim Dogar

Pakistan shares much in common with Singapore, the former British colony that gained independence in 1959. One basic difference, however, accounts for Singapore’s success as one of the most economically stable Asian countries and our unenviable position as one of the third world’s most regressive on

Malik Asim Dogar

In Singapore, there are three major regional languages that are spoken by the majority along with English. Buddhism has the most numerous followers but Christianity, Islam and Hinduism also flourish. Home to more 5.5 million people, the city-state is united in its identity as one nation despite their culture having Malay, Chinese and Indian influences.

So what is that one reason? A political government that is ruling since day one with a national agenda. According to Transparency International’s report of 2020, Singapore is now among the top three corruption free countries in the world. How did its journey begin?

When the People’s Action Party, the ruling party from independence till now, took over, they had nothing much to work with except coastal areas. For a tiny country without any natural resource of its own, choices were limited to either the burgeoning communism movement or the growing capitalist influence. In a bid to stop the influence of China’s communism, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kopng and Taiwan were offered the chance to become Asian Tigers. During the Cold War, these countries turned into economic hubs, a status they hold to this day. People’s Action Party opened the country for free market economy, paving the way for its people to learn technical and business know-how.

Today, Singapore is home to 7,000 central or regional offices of multinational corporations. It’s the only Asian country with an AAA economic rating, and second in GDP earnings in the world. Its human resource became the most skilled in the world.

To reach this stage, Singapore made education, healthcare, residence and safety the responsibility of the state. More than 91% of the residents of Singapore own their own housing units. An excellent healthcare system has led to prolonged lives and one of the lowest infant mortality rates. Free market economy made Singapore a tax haven, a center for gambling and human smuggling. But the government remained undeterred and kept on focusing on human and economic progress. Outside interference was kept to a minimum.

Compare this to Pakistan, a country rich in natural resources but lagging at 154 on the Human Progress Index. More than half the population is extremely poor. Pakistan’s rulers were focused on corruption, illegal use of state resources. In the process, they destroyed institutions.

Pakistan tehreek-e-Insaf came into power with slogans of accountability. Forget about reducing corruption, the ruling party has somehow managed to increase it. All claims of government leaders and National Accountability bureau have been laid bare by the Transparency International Report where Pakistan has slipped in rankings during this government’s tenure. Shehbaz Gill tried to blame it all on the previous government, even going so far as to share reports from previous years in a dubious attempt to derail attention.

The general public wants to know exactly who is being held accountable. The Prime Minister, meanwhile, is confused about what he wants to make of the country; the State of Madina, the State of China or the State of Malaysia. Half his tenure is over but he remains undecided. Whatever system is brought into place, remember that leadership needs to focus on thinking for the country.

Try to learn from Singapore.

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Malik Asim Dogar

Malik Asim Dogar is a senior producer at GNN

Technology

Land record digitsation: Punjab CM orders stakeholders to ensure close coordination

Punjab Land Record Authority and Management of Estate Land brief Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz about the business plans

Published

51 minutes ago

May 18, 2024 06:49 PM

Hussnain Bhutta

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz on Saturday presided over a special meeting relating to the Board of Revenue Reforms.

A briefing was given on the Punjab Urban Land Systems Enhancement (PULSE).CM Maryam Nawaz issued directions to undertake essential steps for the digitalisation process.

The CM ordered to ensure collaboration of relevant departments during the land digitalisation process. It was informed during the briefing that the land record digitisation process is being undertaken with the cooperation of the World Bank under the 'Plus Project.'

Punjab Land Record Authority and Management of Estate Land gave a briefing about the business plan affairs.

Owner based digitalisation of all neighbourhoods ( mouzas) will be carried out in Punjab. The revenue system will be made transparent through partition of land and parcel document. The government will declare a clear property from every aspect as Green.

The lands having issues will be declared as Blue and Red.The proposal to abolish joint property system will be seriously reviewed. Legal complications will be reduced with the allotment of a separate property number to every seller.

Record of Rights-Holders(FARD),Ownership and land transfer system will also be simplified after undertaking the digitalisation process.

World

Three Spanish tourists among four dead in Afghanistan shooting

Bamiyan, home to the giant Buddhas blown up by the Taliban in 2001, is Afghanistan’s top tourist destination

Published

3 hours ago

May 18, 2024 04:29 PM

Faisal Ali Ghumman

(AFP): Three Spanish tourists and an Afghan were killed Friday in a shooting in the popular tourism destination of Bamiyan in central Afghanistan, local and Spanish authorities said.

Afghanistan’s Interior ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani confirmed the four deaths to AFP, saying the victims were killed in gunfire Friday evening in Bamiyan city.

Another four foreigners and three Afghans were wounded, he added.

Spain’s foreign ministry said later Friday that three of the dead were Spanish tourists, adding that at least one other Spanish national was wounded. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez posted on X, formerly Twitter: “Overwhelmed by the news of the murder of Spanish tourists in Afghanistan.”

The European Union condemned the attack “in the strongest terms.”

“Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of the victims who lost their lives and those injured in the attack,” the body said in a statement.

‘Sounds of successive gunshots’

According to preliminary information provided by hospital sources, the wounded were from Norway, Australia, Lithuania and Spain.

Security forces have arrested four people in connection with the attack, Qani said.

He did not say if there had been multiple shooters.

The Taliban government “strongly condemns this crime, expresses its deep feelings to the families of the victims and assures that all the criminals will be found and punished”, Qani said in a statement.

A local resident, who did not want to be named, said he “heard the sounds of successive gunshots, and the city streets leading to the site were blocked immediately by the security forces”.

Bamiyan, home to the giant Buddhas blown up by the Taliban in 2001, is Afghanistan’s top tourist destination.

The Taliban government has yet to be officially recognised by any country but it has welcomed foreign tourism.

Increasing numbers of visitors have travelled to Afghanistan as security has improved since the Taliban ended their insurgency after ousting the Western-backed government in 2021.

They holiday without consular support after most embassies were evacuated following the Taliban authorities’ takeover, with Western governments warning against visiting.

Deadly attacks on foreigners have been rare in Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power.

Arriving in western Herat province Friday evening, a foreign tourist posted on a WhatsApp group for travellers in Afghanistan that he and others were stopped by the Taliban authorities and told “that because of Bamiyan we were no longer safe”.

“After some time and Google translate, we convinced them to let us go, they said go eat quickly and get off the streets,” the tourist said.

The Bamiyan region is majority inhabited by members of the Hazara Shia community.

The historically persecuted religious minority has been repeatedly targeted by the Islamic State group, which considers them heretics.

The number of bombings and suicide attacks in Afghanistan has reduced dramatically since the Taliban authorities took power.

However, a number of armed groups, including IS, remain a threat.