The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Pakistan

  • Raising the bar of Polio campaign

    Has the fight against polio in Nigeria defied brilliant strategies? I don’t agree. Has the situation gone so wild beyond redemption that we have to accept to live with wild polio virus for the continual destruction of the limbs and lives of our young ones? Never!

    Are there strategies and measures that can make us overcome this monster and free our children from the wrath and fierce indignation of this virus? Yeah; sure. There are methods that we can adopt that those who are not convinced will buy into and have a rethink. This method will arouse our interest and douse the energy of resentments against us. This is what we need to wake our anger and make us defeat polio in Nigeria. Can we eradicate polio by the year 2015? Absolutely possible if we adopt the recommended strategy and take the suitable armour.

    We have spent so much to gain so little. So much energy, so many resources (money included) and regrettably lives have been lost in this struggle and yet little has been achieved. Now, the poser is; why are we here? Why can’t we break this evil chord tying us to this triangular mess and loose our dear country from the comity of Afghanistan and Pakistan? The answer is simple! It is because we don’t want to change strategy. We are addicted to one particular method of campaign; leaders championing the course. This method has proved ineffective in our context as it also failed in many other countries in the past.

    I am not saying that political leaders leading this crusade will always fail. I will be quick to mention former American president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, FDR. Crippled by polio at age 39, FDR became a staunch anti-polio campaigner. His physical status spoke more than mere words can utter. Little wonder he defeated the multifaceted monster when its rage was fiercest. He stopped the death and crippling of children in their thousands in the United State of America.

    What made him so effective and efficient? He had what the people wanted to see and could as a result spoke convincingly about the evils. He had the requisite credentials for the fight because he wore the shoe and knew where it pinched. Do we now have to pray for another exceptional case of polio attack on a political leader for us to eradicate it in Nigeria? God forbid! There is a way out.

    Recently, Bill Gates, the co-founder of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation came to Lagos in company of Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the multi-billionaire businessman. They came to pay a courtesy visit to Babatunde R. Fashola SAN, the governor of Lagos State at the State House Ikeja in recognition of his anti-polio activities. These two financial and economic giants have come to join forces to eradicate polio in Nigeria. And they need see another man with political power and national interest, Governor Fashola, for the success of their mission.

    My recent article, Polio Eradication, Matter of Leadership, I did compare Fashola and FDR. What I failed to mention is that no matter how powerful Fashola may be politically, no matter how passionate he may be about eradicating polio because of his love for the children and their future, he can only mobilise men with requisite credentials for the fight. Even the seemingly formidable team of Dangote Foundation and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will fall before wild polio virus in Nigeria if requisite human resources are not deployed.

    I had written before and mentioned the benefit of polio survivors leading the fight against polio in my past articles published in national dailies and widely circulated on the internet. When I did, I was not actually emphasising that I must be included. I am only convinced that when they do with all passion, the result will be visible to all. I can testify to this. I had won co-passengers inside bus when I saw them with babies. I have been able to convince many of my neighbours not only to accept our vaccine but also made them advocates of this crusade. India also had Gautam Lewis at the vanguard of this in India, and you know the result today, India is free. Beyond “seeing is believing”, a polio survivor has a story to tell and can tell his or her story with all passion and conviction. And if you love your child, you want to buy his/her story and possibly support the crusade.

    In August 2009, Nigeria witnessed an unprecedented match against polio in the country. That was when we had the National Stakeholders’ Forum on Polio Eradication in Nigeria. This forum, at the instance of Governor Fashola was observed nationally at various dates in that month. In Lagos and many other states, it was on August 8, 2009. This marked significant reduction in the number of cases we have been having annually. But polio is still with us. To make a total riddance of this problem, he has suggested that we raise the bar of polio campaign. Fashola said, “…that is one thing that I wish to work with you (referring to Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation) and the Dangote Foundation to look at how many polio survivors that are here and let them lead the campaign as a physical demonstration of what can and what could have been, in addition, of course, to doing all of the things that we really need to do”.

    This is raising the bar of Polio campaign in Nigeria. Let political differences and ideologies, ethnic sentiments and religious extremism be subdued, if only briefly, for the health of Nigerian children and unanimously take this counsel and appoint polio survivors to lead this crusade while our political leaders and global partners provide the needed support. If we do this, I am very sure; this will be the last stage of the fight. And it will not be long, we will gather, as a people, to celebrate one year in mind of the last polio virus.

    • Olugbenga, a polio survivor and Lagos Polio Ambassador writes from Lagos.

  • ‘He wanted a son so he drowned his daughter in rage’

    ‘He wanted a son so he drowned his daughter in rage’

    A man in Pakistan who confessed to drowning his one-and-a-half year old daughter says he now regrets his actions. His family says it was because he wanted a son, but it highlights the grave issue, across South Asia, of female infanticide. The BBC’s Aleem Maqbool met the family in Lahore, Pakistan.

    We meet 28-year-old Umar Zaib as he waits, shackled, outside court. “It was a mistake,” he tells me. “I made a big mistake. I don’t know what was going through my mind when I did it.”

    Umar Zaib is talking of the crime he committed against his daughter, Zainab, who was just one-and-a-half years old.

    Then the police jostle him and push him towards the courtroom. He is under arrest and yet to be charged but has admitted to the police that he drowned his daughter.

    He insisted it was all because of a fit of rage. But when she described the horrors of what happened, Umar Zaib’s wife told us a very different story.

    “It was late at night but my husband told me we all had to visit his sister, but we stopped close to the river,” says Sumera, 24.

    “I had both our daughters with me. My husband told me I wasn’t holding Zainab properly and he took her from me.”

    “In front of my eyes, he threw her in the river.”

    “I was helpless, I started crying, Zainab was screaming in the water but when I tried to save her he beat me.”

    Pleading for help

    On the outskirts of Lahore, we visit the place beside the powerful River Ravi where Umar Zaib has now told investigators he killed his daughter.

    On the Ravi Bridge towering over the spot, devotees hurl meat for the flocks of carnivorous birds that circle close by, hoping for blessings in return.

    This dirty bankside, where the stench of the brown waters mixes with that of rotting meat, is where Sumera says she last saw little Zainab struggling and pleading for help.

    A short distance downstream, we find two divers still looking for her remains in the fast-flowing waters.

    They are ill-equipped, and admit to us that so long after the event they have all but lost hope of finding Zainab’s tiny body.

    Sumera says her husband threatened to kill her as well if she told anyone, so for several days she was too scared to go to the police. But finally she found the courage to tell her parents.

    They will now support their daughter and her young baby.

    Sumera says she is certain of her husband’s motive in killing their daughter.

    “Since our first daughter has born, he wasn’t happy, he wanted a son,” she tells us.

    “He said if I had another daughter, he’d kill our first child, Zainab. When, eight weeks ago, I did have another girl, he kept threatening more and more, then he did it.”

    She says her husband, a rickshaw driver, and his extended family all looked down on female children, thinking them a curse, but she says their family was not alone.

    “My life is empty without Zainab,” she says. “But he has forgotten her already and he told me she’s gone where she is supposed to go.”

    Cultural pressures

    The disturbingly prevalent tendency, across this region, to kill babies purely because they are female is been well-documented.

    The United Nations Children’s Fund, Unicef, has a team dedicated to the issue in Pakistan.

    It says girls are murdered primarily because of cultural pressures and poverty. But for years, rights groups in Pakistan have also accused law enforcement agencies of not taking the issue seriously.

    “Yes, of course cases like that happen in Pakistan,” says Basharat Ali, the investigating police officer in Zainab’s murder case.

    But then he suggests that Zainab’s mother has questions to answer too.

     

    “How can a mother, who sees someone else throw her daughter in the river, just leave quietly and not report it for a week?”

    He may be behind bars now, he may even have admitted to killing his daughter, but in Pakistan there are no guarantees Umar Zaib will be properly punished for killing his child, apparently just for being a girl

  • FCTA to strengthen relations with Pakistan

    The FCT Administration will work towards the strengthening of bilateral relations between Nigeria and Pakistan in order to increase their trade balance.

    FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed gave the assurance while receiving the Pakistani Trade Delegation to Nigeria.

    The Minister reiterated that his Administration would assiduously help in strengthening the existing robust relationship between the two countries for the benefit of their citizens.

    Mohammed emphasized that Nigeria and Pakistan has a lot similarity especially in culture and beliefs, which are supposed to be, exploited for greater advantage of the two nations.

    According to him, the meeting will help re-awaken the over 40 years diplomatic relations that can be further enhanced as Nigeria; particularly Abuja has lots of potentials waiting to be tapped.

    While promising to not only provide an enabling environment but to also be a catalyst in promoting the increased trade relations, he recalled with nostalgia the activities of Pakistani teachers in Nigeria in the 1970s.

    Speaking earlier, the Nigerian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Ambassador Dauda Danladi said that Nigeria established relation with Pakistan about 40 years ago and that the two nation’s trade potentials have not been well exploited.

    Ambassador Danladi remarked that what spurred him into action to scout for Pakistani investors and industrialists to come to Nigeria is the citizenship and economic diplomatic of President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Also speaking at the meeting, the Pakistani High Commissioner to Nigeria, Lt. General Mohammed Ashraf Salim (Rtd.) stated that Nigeria and his country has a long time historical relations and promised to enhance the cordial relations.

    He also assured that Pakistani investors and industrialists would launch their presence in Nigeria and particularly in Abuja by establishing educational and health institutions in the Federal Capital Territory.

     

  • Bicycle dealer ingests 1.7 kg heroine

    Bicycle dealer ingests 1.7 kg heroine

    A 40 year-old bicycle parts dealer has been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) with 1.700kg of heroin.

    The suspect, Nweke Livinus Uchenna whose journey originated from Pakistan was found to have ingested narcotics during routine search of passengers on Etihad flight at the arrival hall of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos.

    NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, Hamza Umar said that the suspect excreted 100 wraps of substances that tested positive for heroin weighing 1.700kg.

    “While he was under observation, Nweke Livinus Uchenna excreted 100 wraps of heroin. He has provided useful information that the investigation team are working on” Hamza stated.

    The suspect who is married with a child said that he is heavily indebted. “I was a successful dealer of bicycle parts until I lost 9 million naira to fraudsters in 2009. That was the beginning of my problems.

    As I speak, I am heavily indebted to the extent that I am afraid to switch on my cell phones. My brother is also bedridden for three years and they look unto me for assistance. I feel sad that I am in this condition. Circumstances forced me to collect 450,000 naira to smuggle drugs from Pakistan. I pray for forgiveness” Nnweke apologized.

     

     

  • Taliban jailbreak frees 243

    Taliban militants have freed 243 prisoners in an assault on a prison in north-west Pakistan, officials told the BBC.

    The attack in the town of Dera Ismail Khan began with huge explosions at around midnight on Monday (15:00 GMT).

    Gunmen then opened fire with rocket-propelled grenades and machine-guns, police chief Sohail Khalid said. About 70 attackers were in police uniform.

    Dera Ismail Khan is Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, is next to Pakistan’s restive mountainous tribal region.

    The town’s prison houses hundreds of Taliban and militants from banned groups.

    Twelve people – including six police officers – were killed in the gun battle that raged for three or four hours after militants launched their assault.

    The town’s civil commissioner Mushtaq Jadoon said that 30 hardened militants jailed for their involvement in major attacks or suicide bombings were among those who escaped.

    Those released from jail include two local Taliban commanders, Abdul Hakim and Haji Ilyas.

    Also released is a sectarian militant, Waleed Akbar, the principle suspect in last year’s attacks on Shia mourners in Dera Ismail Khan during the Shia mourning month of Moharram.

     

  • Pakistani trade delegation for Nigeria next month

    Over 50 Pakistani investors and exporters will be part of a trade delegation to Nigeria in August.

    Nigerian Ambassador to Pakistan, Dauda Danladi who disclosed the visit said it is a major breakthrough and turning point after President Goodluck Jonathan’s last year visit to Pakistan.

    According to him it is also an indication that Pakistani Investors are ready for strategic penetration into the Nigerian Market.

    He said the Pakistani Investors have shown interest to collaborate with Nigeria in the area of Agriculture equipment and machinery, establishing Fertilizer Production Units and Farming Technology.

    Other areas of interests are Livestock, Poultry, Fisheries, Pharmaceuticals, Surgical Equipments, Garments and Textile including Export of tractors and Transfer of technology.

    He said Pakistani Investors from Lahore, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Gujranwala and Gujrat Chambers of Commerce are joining the trade delegation to Nigeria from Punjab Province.

    Exporters from Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Korangi Association of Trade & Industry are also moving to Nigeria with the Trade Delegation from Sindh Province.

    Highlighting the potentials of Nigerian Market for Pakistani Investors and Exporters, Ambassador Dauda Danladi said Nigeria is amongst the Africa’s 10th largest economy that contributes 77% of Africa’s GDP.

    “Nigeria also accounts for about 60% of the West African GDP and even Central Africa. In Nigeria 26 textile factories are working. In 2012, Nigeria imported approximately $ 8 billion garments; Nigerian Medical Association has reported that last year 2012, Nigeria spent $ 260 million on Medical tourism to India.”

    He said Nigerians spent $500 million on medical tourism and imported $1.2 billion medicines in 2012.

    He assured that the Nigerian government offers various incentives to Pakistani Investors such as 100% Import and Export exemption, 100% Exemption from commercial levies, 100% Repatriation of Capital and Profits, 100% Company Ownership, No quotas for expatriate employees and No corporate taxes.

     

     

  • Nawaz Sharif elected as Pakistani PM

    Nawaz Sharif elected as Pakistani PM

    Nawaz Sharif has been elected as Pakistan’s prime minister after his surprise landslide victory in general elections last month.

    Mr. Sharif received 244 votes in the 342-seat parliament, returning him to office for an unprecedented third time.

    The BBC reports that the newly elected leader is due to be sworn in later on Wednesday.

    He faces numerous pressing challenges, including reviving a weak economy and putting an end to militant attacks and United States drone strikes.

    The BBC says Mr. Sharif’s priorities will be rejuvenating the economy and improving security – both areas that require some speedy but difficult decision-making in a geo-strategic environment which is shaped and controlled by the military.

    While the new prime minister favours talks with the Pakistani Taliban, many expect that once he gets into power, he will accept the army’s view that all past negotiations have failed and the only option is to fight the jihadis who attack domestic targets.

    He comes to power at a critical time in the battle against the Taliban – as NATO forces begin the process of withdrawing from Afghanistan.

  • Threat from Pakistan

    Threat from Pakistan

    Families of the five Pakistani nationals on board an oil vessel, Mt Matrix 1, abducted last Saturday at 40 nautical miles off the Bayelsa coast have promised to take revenge on Nigerians in their hundreds in Pakistan, if any of the victims was killed.

    The development means Nigerians living in that Asian country may soon be made to pay with their lives for the sins of some criminally minded Nigerians back home. It also means that the hitherto cordial relationship between the two countries may soon give way to diplomatic face-off.

    Though sources claim government and the employers of the victims had begun negotiation with the abductors, details of negotiations as regards ransom were not disclosed.

    What is left to be seen is whether the threat from Pakistan will make the kidnappers have a rethink and release their victims soon or they will simply see it as mere cries of concerned relatives.

  • Nigeria targets $3b Pharma import from Pakistan

    Nigeria targets $3b Pharma import from Pakistan

    The Nigerian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Ambassador Dauda Danladi has urged Pakistani Pharmaceutical companies to export their products to Nigeira.

    Speaking after a high level meeting held at Nigeria High Commission on Wednesday, Danladi said “Nigeria offers a huge market for Pakistani pharmaceutical exporters owing to the fact that Nigerians rate Pakistani Pharmaceutical products equal to European Countries.

    He said last year’s revolutionary steps taken by Nigerian High Commission in the interest of Pakistani pharma manufacturers brought dividends and export of medicines of over US $ 1 billion to Nigeria from Pakistan.

    The Envoy said Nigeria High Commission in Pakistan was determined to enhance pharma trade and Pharma Business 2 Business (B2B) connection with Pakistan to achieve target of US $ 3 billion by the end of 2015.

    He said the Commission was providing visa facility to Pakistani pharma exporters within 24 hours and  are also given preferential treatment in processing of their official documents.

    Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan in Abuja, Ahmad Ali Sirohey, said top officials of Nigerian embassy in Pakistan are moving from one city to another visiting pharmaceutical companies and marketing their pharma products in Nigerian market.

    Sirohey thanked the Nigerian Envoy for inviting Inspectors of NAFDAC to visit NABIQASIM & SURGE LABORATORIES, two top pharmaceutical companies of Pakistan upon the recommendations.

    The Director, Pakistan Export Company (PECO) Abuja, Muhammad Ibrahim Bin Maqsood  emphasized that this was the right time for the Pakistani  pharmaceutical exporters to enter the Nigerian market as Transformation Agenda of Nigerian President offers great favors for Pakistani Pharmaceutical Industrialists under the umbrella of Pakistan-Nigeria Joint Commission.

    Expressing his optimism, Head of Chancery, Grema disclosed that Nigerian
    High Commissioner has personally visited a number of pharmaceutical companies in Islamabad, Punjab Province and Karachi to explore diverse range of Pakistani pharmaceutical products which include Antibiotics, NSAIDS, Antiulcerants, immuno-suppressant, dermatological and oral formulations for import in Nigeria.

    Khawaja Shahzeb Akram, Vice President, Mass Pharma (Pvt) Ltd informed about a variety of medicines being manufactured such as  hormonal tablets, capsules, injections and topical medicines at Mass Pharma.

  • Ambassador, Nigerians in Pakistan mourn Achebe’s death

    Nigerian Ambassador to Pakistan, Daudu Danladi has expressed deep shock over the death of literary giant, Chinua Achebe

    Danladi said the death of internationally known Nigerian novelist is a national loss to the country and Africa.

    According to him, Achebe was the father of modern African Literature and he would always remain a source of inspiration and pride for all the Nigerians worldwide.

    He added that Achebe’s world famous novel “Things Fall Apart” gave literary birth to modern Africa which aptly brings to limelight the collision between British colonial rule and traditional Igbo culture in southeastern Nigeria, the hometown of Chinua Achebe.

    Former President, Nigerian Community in Pakistan (NCP), Isaac Omomolesho, on behalf of Nigerians in Pakistan, also mourned Achebe’s death and paid rich tribute to his literary achievements.

    He noted that Achebe was a moral and literary model for countless Africans and left profound influence on such American writers as Morrison, Ha Jin and Junot Diaz.