OBSTACLES TO DEVELOPMENT OF HYDROPOWER IN PAKISTAN

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An assessment of the energy sector in Pakistan reveals that since 2009 the self reliance objective has not been achieved and at the way plans are finalized by 2023 there would be little movement towards achieving the objective of reliance related to indigenous energy. One aspect of this is the failure to increase the share of hydropower in the energy mix.

1.       Share of hydropower in energy and power mix. Energy and power data suggest that hydropower share in total mix has stagnated and this trend is likely to continue to 2023 , in fact in 2023 hydropower share will decrease slightly  compared to 2017 .There are several reasons for this . the last many  hydropower plants added to the system  in the public sector have faced inordinate delays ( Golen Gol, Allai Khwar, Khan Khwar, Nelumn Jhelum , Jinnah, Gomal Dam, Punjab and KP Low heads and Tarbela extension ) have also registered significant  cost escalation .Insufficient studies, mismanaged resettlement and land  acquisition,  , indifferent contract management, and funding woes triggered these delays . The unresolved issue of the (‘profits on hydroelectric power generation ‘) royalty also creates indirect hurdles in development of hydropower. Friction between KP and the centre on this issue has starved KPs hydroelectric power potential to be severely underutilized, in evidence the better utilization of AJ&K hydropower potential as compared to KPs potential (KP hydropower potential is generally more economic to AJ&Ks mainly due to superior geology. Large hydro’s take more than 5 years to complete therefore the government which has a mandate for 5 years is not interested in projects that will complete after its tenure completion. There is very little coordination between Provincial/local governments and Federal governments related to execution of hydropower plants. Land acquisition and resettlement issues are poorly tackled. Preconstruction facilities and infrastructure for construction receives insufficient attention, these all emanate from indifferent feasibility studies that are poorly monitored and controlled. HEPO has been weakened, underfunded and its ability to provide guidance in hydropower issues has been compromised. Capacity building has not received much attention. KP has faced issues with transmission lines, there have been instances where   power plants were ready but transmission lines were not. Rules on who has responsibility to construct lines and methodology of resolving transmission issues are not available. KP has now called for building two 500 kV lines for evacuation of power from Chitral. They neither have the financial capability nor the technical capability to perform this task. Small hydropower plants are having issues with approvals, CPPA now wishes to offer: pay what you take basis for contracting capacity; this is the result of faulty planning. Small plants also have trouble getting approval of DISCOs to connect their plant to the distribution system.

Rectification of Hydropower Share in Total mix

Share of hydropower in energy mix has stagnated; this has impacts upon the self reliance target and also on the share of clean energy in the total energy mix. . To rectify this there is need to take the following steps:

1.                   Provincial inputs in policy and plan formulation. The 18 th. Amendment of the constitution has altered the role of Federal and Provincial Governments with respect to energy in general and hydropower in particular. This needs that the decision making process is amended to cater to this changed constitutional provision. It is suggested that a policy and planning committee on power be constituted with representation from the Provinces. There is also need to periodically refer the policy and plan formulations of this committee to the CCI. Hydropower potential in AJ&K has been utilized in a much better and smoother fashion than that in KP. The primary reason for that is that hydropower falls under the AJ&K Council which has declared that hydropower potential above 50 MWs will be dealt with by PPIB whereas the potential below 50 MWs will be dealt by the AJ&K Hydroelectric Board. KP wishes to deal with all hydropower potential except that on Main Rivers for multipurpose use. KP provincial PPC has also not performed well seems there is a message to KP Government in this statement.

2.                   Preparation and monitoring of feasibility studies. Feasibility studies need inputs from a set of varied technical disciplines, there is need to: monitor and control the development of feasibility studies by an experts panels that is fully empowered; assess risk mitigation and identify the residual risk that needs to be controlled during the construction stage, like tunnel geological risk in the feasibility study.

3.                   Capacity Building. There is currently little attention paid to capacity building in the hydropower sector. ; organization engaged in development of hydropower ( HEPO/WAPDA, PEDO, AJ&K Electricity Board; Provincial Energy departments and organizations , and GB Energy departments) do not have in place a human resource enhancement program related to hydropower . Presently the Centre for Excellence in Water Resources (CoEWR) carries out a MSc. program in hydropower; there is also a hydropower training center in Mangla Dam. It is proposed that: short courses related to various aspects of hydropower (like hydrology, geology, seismicity; economics; mechanical, electrical, mechanical, turbines, financial, resettlement, environmental etc.) should regularly be arranged through the CoEWR and other institutions; funding should be provided to send candidates to the MSc. Course in the CoEWR.

4.                   EPC Contracts.  The organizations involved in hydropower sector development are not familiar with the working of the EPC contracts. There is need to provide capacity building opportunities to professional engaged in contract management of EPC contracts. EPC contracts in the IPP mode also present an issue. Sponsors engage EPC contractors that are very closely related to the main sponsor , the EPPC bidding is not transparent and is questionable, it is proposed that a third part evaluation of cost must be carried out to verify the lowest EPC bid veracity and authenticity ..

5.                   ToRs of Feasibility Studies. ToRs (terms of Reference) of feasibility studies need to be amended to reflect the concerns with identification of preconstruction activities. Delays in completion of hydropower plants partly result due to inadequate provision for pre construction facilities.

6.                   Resettlement and Environmental Issues.-Pakistani agencies have struggled with resettlement land acquisition issues. Land acquisition costs have risen sharply in areas where large infrastructure projects have been or are implemented.

7.                   BASHA, KALABAGH-Construction of Bhasha dam. Kalabagh dam could not be built due to internal political differences and Bhasha dam could not be built because of external factors. We should go on our own. This should be initiated without any further delay. Dasu has been stalled, in any case Dasu would only provide electricity, and water scarcity has become an equally important factor if not the most important factor in our development priority. Construction of Kalabgah Dam could be initiated at the earliest possible as it would be acceptable to both WB and ADB, we however need to achieve consensus amongst ourselves.

8.                   Transmission interconnection-WAPDA has complained that NTDC have not been able to add evacuation lines in time and have sought control over NTDC, this has correctly been disallowed by the government. The issue, however, needs to be resolved. In recent times NTDC have failed to add transmission lines associated with both public and private power plants in time. It is proposed that the penalty that is imposed upon IPPs for completion after due date should have also compensation for NTDC, provided, however, the transmission lines have been completed. WAPDA under construction hydropower plants also need their PPA’s altered to include to include penalty to be paid by WAPDA in case of delayed completion of power plant and a provision in this is to be made for compensation to NRDC for non-utilization of completed transmission lines   and penalty to be paid by NTDC to WAPDA in case of delayed completion of transmission lines associated with the project .

Update : Dasu Hydropower Plant 

The handling of he Dasu Hydrpower plant, which has partial funding for parts of the first phase of the project is a important case  that validates parts of the analysis presented above. There were issues with transmission line voltages but a more crucial and potentially project threatening issue us the resettlement cost , which has been been mishandled. 

Dasu Hydropower Project Jan.,26,2019: A crucial meeting of the Dasu Hydropower Project`s Steering Committee was postponed again for a second time, delaying discussion and finalization of the already tardy land acquisition and compensation to people to be affected by the project under a recent and jointly agreed formula. , the meeting couldn`t be held due to engagements of top officials including the federal minister for water resources and the KP chief minister. special committee was all set to submit its preliminary report to the steering committee in the scheduled meeting on Thursday, but it was postponed again  the report had been prepared after holding a series of meetings with the landowners, local MNAs, MPAs, notables etc. The report,   suggested to the government to accept the landowners/affectees` demand of award of compensation to them according to the formula applied for compensating landowners/affectees of Diamer-Bhasha Dam. the financial impact arising in the wake of accepting the affected people`s demands is approximately three per cent (Rs18 billion or so) of the total project`s cost (over Rs600bn) for two stages of this mega project.

Dasu Hydropower Plant: Indigenous energy: Feb., 17, 2019: The Steering Committee for Dasu Hydropower Project could not take decision over the compensation criterion for land owners after it observed that the special committee did not give any recommendation, leaving the final decision on the part of the government keeping in view the options mentioned in its report   , there are many constructions that were done after enforcement of section-4 of the land acquisition act. Under the law, no constructions can be done after enforcement of this section. But the locals did this just to get more and more compensation. If the government regularise such constructions and award compensation to their owners, it would be illegal.  

Update: Mar., 21, 2019:

Suki Kinari :

  People on Wednesday staged a protest demonstration, demanding market price for the land acquired by the district administration for the 840-megawatt Suki Kinari dam being built under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

“The district administration signed an agreement with the families affected by the project that they would be paid the market price for their land but we are still without payments and our houses have been destroyed,” a resident, Sadaqat Ali Shah, told a rally in Kaghan valley on Wednesday.

The Suki Kinari hydropower project, being built on the Kunhar River, is the first energy sector project being executed under CPEC in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The protesters, who were raising slogans in support of their demands, said that they would end their protest till they were paid appropriate price of their land. Another resident, Imran Shah, said that people were being expelled forcibly by the administration. “Our houses are being razed and the land is already acquired but we have not received the payment,” he added. He said the district administration had also announced to provide land for the graveyards, which submerged under the dam reservoir, but they were without an alternative land for the cemetery to date.

Dasu :

The Dasu Hydropower Project, funded by the World Bank, now runs the risk of further delays as bureaucratic wrangling has broken out between the Ministry of Water Resources and other members of the steering committee that is empowered to make critical decisions regarding the project.

At issue are the decisions taken by the Project Steering Committee (PSC) in its 14th meeting on acceptance of demands of landowners and affectees on the issue of compensation and land acquisition for the mega 4,300MW hydropower project. The decisions were changed allegedly by the Ministry of Water Resources when the minutes of the meeting were circulated on March 15.

Participants who were present in the meeting tell Dawn that in reality an entirely different discussion took place from the one reflected in the minutes. According to an email sent later by the WB representative to all steering committee members after receipt of the minutes agreed to the proposal of revising the compensation package to Rs36.914 billion and then forward the same to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) for approval. `But the decisions outlined in the minutes of the 14th PSC meeting don`t reflect the decisions taken in the meeting. The ministry may have a different view, which it can take, but the minutes of the meeting should reflect what was decided in the meeting,` reads the email which was shared with Dawn by a recipient. `I also request you to follow up so that the minutes be corrected and revised to reflect the decisions of the meeting and not alternative truth,` the email states.

`It is really surprising that the actual decisions taken unanimously by the participants of the meeting presided over by the federal minister for water resources on March 5 were deliberately omitted in the minutes of the meeting prepared and circulated on March 15 among the members of the project steering committee,` he told Dawn. `At the end of the meeting, we even greeted and congratulated each other for resolving the longstanding issue of compensation to the landowners and affectees of land acquisition for the project. But why and how this happened, it is really surprisingly,` the official added, requesting anonymity.

Meanwhile Irfan Ali, who holds charge as secretary water resources, tells Dawn that the omission was necessary because Ecnec was the right forum empowered to approve any changes to the compensation package. `I do agree with you that the steering committee had accorded its recommendation over this package and the same should have been incorporated in the minutes of the meeting` he tells Dawn when asked about the omission. But at the same time, I am of the view that the same proposal must be sent to Ecnec for an objective discussion and approval,` he adds.He also admitted that there should be issuance of an addendum to the minutes of the meeting regarding recommendation of the steering committee on the revised compensation package.

In the meeting, Khyber Pakhtunkhawa`s Senior Member Board of Revenue told the members about affectees` willingness over withdrawal of their demand of change in land category if the earlier negotiated land rates, approved byEcnec in 2015,be escalated at the  rate of 10 per cent (per annum) for all categories (accumulative 40pc for four years 2014 to 2018) and awarding compensation to them for houses /construction and development made on the land after imposition of Section-4 of the Land Revenue Act. He also explained that the land cost that was earlier Rs19.163bn would jump to Rs36.914bn if aforementioned demands of the affectees are accepted.

The minutes circulated af ter the meeting say that PSC member decided to circulate all options to various departments for comments, including Wapda, water division and others.

Mr Ali, however, is not convinced. `It is not a matter of one project alone, as we want transparency in all projects, including Dasu. So the steering committee recommendations will be honoured in this regard, as it is also an important forum, ` he said.

Dasu land acquisition: July, 16, 2019: The federal government on Monday conditionally approved an upward revision of the cost of Dasu hydropower project to Rs511 billion aimed at removing bottlenecks in the land acquisition process that has delayed the construction of 2,160 megawatts power project. The upward revision has primarily been made in the land acquisition component, where the cost is conditionally approved to increase from Rs12 billion to Rs39.6 billion –a jump of Rs27.6 billion or 230   The locals have demanded semi-urban property rates as against approved rural category rates. The Commissioner of the Hazara division had recommended that either the locals’ demands be met or the land may be acquired through use of force. The Ecnec also approved the project for the evacuation of Power from 2,160 MW Dasu hydropower to Islamabad via Mansehra at a revised cost of 90.8 billion. The meeting was informed that the changes in the cost of the project occurred due to changes in the exchange rate. 

.Dasu Progress: Sep., 13, 2019: The World Bank remains moderately satisfactory with progress on $4.1 billion Dasu hydropower project, as Pakistan struggles to end a five-year old dispute over land acquisition that has also put a $100 million tranche at stake, a notch above from the last rating of moderately unsatisfactory. However, it has linked the future ratings with Pakistan’s ability on how quickly it resolves a five-year old dispute over cost of land acquisition for the project. The lingering dispute has also put at stake the over $100 million World Bank loan for land acquisition whose extended deadline is going to expire by end November.The total project cost is $4.1 billion and the World Bank has given $588.4 million loan for its construction, which is nearly 15% of the total cost. It has also extended guarantees to acquire another $460 million loan from commercial banks, which has increased its exposure in the project to $1.1 billion or one-fourth of the total cost.  Out of $588.4 million, the World Bank had given $111 million for land acquisition. Due to almost negligible disbursements, the World Bank gave one-year extension to utilise funds for land in November last year, which is also going to lapse in the next two months. It was the third extension, which this time had been taken by the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan. In its extension report, the World Bank had noted that the continued slow progress of land acquisition is delaying project implementation. Land acquisition has still only reached 740 acres, out of 1,987 acres required for the construction areas, and a total of 9,135 acres including reservoir area needed for the project. The frequent interruption of work by project affectees, delayed payments by the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) to revenue staff and to project affectees, lack of control on illegal construction, poor safety management by contractors, consultants and Wapda and delayed decisions by Wapda on procurement and contract management in particular local area development program have contributed to slow progress on land acquisition, according to a World Bank’s report of November last year. The project had been planned to be completed by 2021 – a deadline that both the World Bank and Pakistan will miss. There is no possibility of taking any action against those who are responsible for the delayed completion of the project.

The Way Forward (2013-2023) Energy Plan For Pakistan

The Way Forward (2013-2023) Energy Plan For Pakistan (JR09)

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Executive Summary

The 2009 energy recovery plan and 2013 power policy objectives have partly been achieved. Capacity has been added. Imported and local coal capacity has been added or will be added in the next two years, thereby addressing the power mix issues to an extent. Losses numbers have gone down to about 18% and recoveries have increased to about 96%. The gap between supply and demand of gas has also been bridged, by end of the year 2017, by the commissioning of two LNG terminals and LNG import agreements   The first terminal Elengy Terminal Pakistan Limited is a 100% owned subsidiary of ENGRO, the company, which has been created to establish and operate a terminal for the handling, re-gasification, storage, treatment and processing of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) constructed in Port Qasim Karachi. In line with the approval, LNG Services Agreement   has been signed between SSGC and Elengy Terminal Pakistan Limited (ETPL), with capacity to re-gasify 600 mmCFD . The second terminal which also has the capacity to re-gasify 600 mmCFD per day has been commissioned by the Associated Group.  Annex 1 provides an assessment of the energy sector including a gap analysis.

 Both power and gas shortages have been addresses and in the next five years there will be need to move forward in both areas.  Failures include: regression on regulatory issues; indifferent power system planning; recoveries issues has not been completely solved, better numbers have been achieved by imposition of surcharges which has brought down the magnitude of cross subsidy. Industrial cross subsidy to domestic (high industrial tariffs have impacted upon export competitiveness) and inter DISCO cross subsidy has not been tackled .Progress on hydropower has been less than desired no major hydropower dam is currently under construction Dasu is also stalled, little work was possible on major water storage and power dams , although Neelum Jhelum and Tarbela extension are nearing completion and a number of high head medium/small output plants have been commissioned) . Dependence upon foreign fuels still persists adding to the growing balance of trade and reserves problems. Privatization and restructuring issues have received much attention, curtsey IMF Program (since concluded), but has seen little progress. Privatization of the four performing DISCOs is deemed to be crucial since the proceeds will write off the circular debt parked in the Power Holding Company. In recent moves GoP is considering bifurcating three DISCOs so as to make these more attractive to investors. Market reform and regulation issues also received little attention, in some ways regulatory affairs have received a setback. Moving towards a multi buyer market structure is seen as a must for the sector to perform.

Local gas and oil output has increased but the progress on exploration has been poor, insufficient progress has been made on: shale gas; tight gas; off shore exploration. Some of this could be explained by security conditions but these are  getting better and Majors drill in places with even worst security conditions .Mining of local coal ( except Thar where considerable and significant progress has been made) has not received much attention . Energy efficiency and conservation has received very little attention. Non commercial energy issues have received very little attention. Biomass and solar utilization in agriculture pumping received limited attention. 

There has been impressive progress but there is still work to do, areas where the short term efforts are to be focused to achieve medium and long term objectives are: Self Reliance – the energy mix has been altered but the share of foreign energy in total energy is still not addressed, there is need to encourage – hydropower, solar, wind, biogas, biomass to correct this energy mix in the medium and long term. Mapping of oil and gas resources and accelerated exploration of oil and gas would help, do to would be exploration for shale gas and off shore gas .; Indigenization of energy investments Pakistan still relies very heavily upon imported technology in the energy sector, there is need to put in place policies and procedures to encourage increase in local content in energy investments ; Governance – The liberalization of the power system and the oil and gas system is stalled and there is little progress in moving towards a  free market system, Government interference in day to day affairs has in fact increased , there is need to fix the financial dysfunction and put in place a transparent and independent regulatory system , after which the remaining entities in the power sector and oil and gas sector are to be privatized . Poor and non professional decision making along with misplaced priorities have resulted in circular debt. Improved and professional decision making will help in resolution of the financial dysfunction of the sector.

Objectives of the Strategic Plan

The strategic directions for developing energy sector include:

1.                     Optimize the utilization of country’s indigenous resource base especially hydropower to reduce the dependence on imported fuel through an institutionalized strategy. Thar coal utilization is in hand, coal other than Thar needs attention. Conversion of Tube wells to biomass, biogas and solar needs to be pursued as means of avoiding imported fuels. Wind and Solar would also contribute in imported fuel substitution. Accelerated exploration for gas and oil including tapping shale gas and off shore hydrocarbon resources also need attention.

2.                     The assurance of supply of energy at optimum and competitive price to all sectors of economy. Efficiency and energy conversation needs special attention. Cross subsidies need to be removed; Industry needs to be provided energy including power at cost recovery based tariffs.

3.                     Indigenization of energy investments including provision of employment to local people by means of   enhanced exploration of indigenous resources within the country and putting in place incentives for local manufacture or assembly of energy equipment and systems . Encouragement to local contractors and consultants needs to be made a part of the national energy policy.

4.                     Creation of a conducive and healthy environment for the participation of private sector in energy sector development under the supervision of effective, independent and transparent regulatory authorities.

Indian Muslims

The web site www.missionislam.com [1] states‘ The richer, English-educated Muslims are getting Brahminised. They havebecome imitators of upper caste Hindus as they live not in Muslim localitiesbut in Hindu areas. The poor Muslims (they form 95% of the Muslim population)live in ghettos and being better followers of Islam, they are left high anddry. Hence they are getting killed in all anti-Muslim riots …Any move toorganise them to protect the Muslim life and property is branded as communal.Any Muslim flirting, if not supporting the upper castes, is called a"nationalist Muslim". The gulf between the Muslim masses and educated richMuslims is widening every day … Names of Muslims who died for India areavoided. A great martyr who died for India like Tippu Sultan is unknown toyoungsters, whereas the name of Tantia Tope, who fought not for India but forhis pension, and Jhansi Laxmi Bai, who fought for her adopted son's heirshipto the throne, is brought on the lips of every Indian …No Muslim getsawards for his contribution to science, medicine, music, art or gallantry.Even those who fought from the ranks of the ruling Congress Party likeMoulana Azad, Kidwai, Syed Mahmood, Humayun Kabir etc. do not have a road orextension named after them ... History is being re-written. ("FalsifyingIndian History", DV editorial, April 16, 1985). Muslims are killed daily andtheir houses and shops burnt. The doors of the Army, police andadministration are closed to them …The systematic and daily anti-Muslimriots resulting in loss of life and property, and above all the sense of fearin the hearts of every Muslim, elimination of the martial Muslims from theDefence, paramilitary and police forces and brahminising of these forces,closing the doors of appointments in Govt. services and public undertakings,Brahminisation of education and mass.media like radio, TV and advertisement,elimination of Urdu as official language from those areas which form thepresent day States of Punjab, Haryana, UP, Bihar, parts of Madhya Pradesh,Maharastra, Andhra Pradhesh and Karnataka overnight in 1947-48, gradualclosing of Urdu schools are all examples of positive anti-Muslimpolicies…Muslim electoral constituencies are divided horizontally andvertically so that they don't have an effective voting power anywhere andthrusting upon them ultra-secular Muslim leaders who have started worshippingHindu idols and such scenes being systematically televised. UnfortunatelyMuslim leaders, who are dejected with the Govt., repose much confidence inHindu masses and hope to secure their help ignoring the fact that the poorHindu (Dalit) masses are as much victims of such a propaganda. And as on thisday only seeds are being sown. The harvest is yet to come. When the harvestreason comes, what will be harvested in India is repetition of Spain, unlessthe Muslims resort to counter measures soon.'

Modi mails take the fight to BCCI

Modi mails take the fight to BCCI

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Islamic Finiance

Scholars of Islamic finance seem to be overly immersed in issues related to interest. Efforts to create so called Islamic finance instruments have at best only marginally departed from the conventional interest bearing ones and so called Islamic finance is perhaps very little different from conventional finance. It seems that the Koran forbids punitive interest rates and interest on basic consumption. It can also be argued that the Koran would justify returns on loan to cover inflation on grounds of justice and equity.
Islamic finance of course is much more than interest free finance. The Koran recognizes and encourages disparity in incomes, in fact the competition and struggle (though not to the point of extinction) is recommended so that society can identify the talented and progressive for installation in leadership and management positions in society .The Koran, however forbids absolute poverty’ in form of poor tax but more importantly the Koran requires parity or at last convergence in consumption. Other words the Koran encourages disparity in incomes but insists in parity in consumption , those who are high earners need to make ‘surplus’ capital available to society in form of investment and production or consumption or outright charity .Poverty is seen as an ill which discourages individuals form the higher purposes of life and hinders the cohesion of the society. High earners need to fund education health et for society at large and this is an investment towards tension free and risk free existence as the rich when they turn poor will be given the same treatment and they or their children will not be deprived .

Short Story 1

THE CHALLENGE

By Javed Rashid

Hasan professed to believe in no religion, he had a hazy idea that being a “good" person was more important than being a good Muslim. Muslim elite and middle class response to freedom, from colonial rule, was initially to equate “liberal” morals as a sign of modernity .Drinking, sex outside marriage, having permissible attitudes towards sex all were used as symbols of modernism. Comics were used as signs of belonging to the progressive modern group .Smoking cigarettes also came under the same iconology .All “in” people were supposed to smoke and drink and have liberal attitudes towards sex and subscribe to Archie’s life style .He did not bother to understand his religion at all .
Partition and the creation of a new country brought about the cruelest of materialist societal structure .Corruption was the norm and very soon nothing got done without graft .This seemed to be the fate of most newly independent states. The early days of independence ,and for that matter the latter periods, brought about wide corruption on small and large scale ,with involvement of the governing elite and the common man .Corruption therefore soon became an accepted and necessary part of the social structure ,greasing of palms became essential for any thing to get moving .Hasan and his like abhorred this corrupt state of society ,they did believe in ‘fair play’ and progress by hard work ,these were idealistic and un pragmatic thoughts of an ineffective and powerless elite .
Hasan drifted along in his less than half baked notions, he accepted little responsibility and had little concept of money .His father, a reasonably rich man, provided a comfortable living and Hasan could maintain his detracted superior existence without doing too much.
Hasan’s serene trouble free existence underwent a serious somersault .His father fell seriously sick. He was hospitalized and after extensive tests, his ailment was diagnosed as cancer of the lungs.
Hasan loved his father and he spent most of his time in the hospital, looking after his father. This required that he spend nights and a large part of the day in the intensive care unit of the hospital .Hasan, in the six months his father lived, witnessed quite a few losing their battle and succumbing to the icy clutches of death. These deaths and the subsequent demise of his father caused a lot a grief but it also seriously disturbed Hasan’s world .His liberal , “modernistic” world suddenly collapsed .He felt attracted to religion , as his concepts could not help him deal or understand death .
Hasan started praying five times a day and started reading the Koran .Very soon he felt the need to understand what the Koran preached .The Koran is a fascinating divine book , it answers doubts as soon as these are raised .Hasan did find solace in the teaching’s of the Koran and it also assisted him in dealing with death .

While reading the Koran Hasan came across Koran’s assertion that “We provide Rizak – e – Halal to whosoever who seeks it “ Hasan’s doubting skeptical mental makeup found this to be unacceptable .He reasoned that in the society as corrupt and venal as his it would be impossible to earn a living without getting involved in some form of corruption . He issued this as a form of challenge to the Koran, he was sure that he would win as it was not possible to exist at a reasonable standard in his venal society without doing something that was religiously and or legally or morally forbidden .He made this as the test case .How could the Koran issue such a statement, surely this was an error and he felt very sure that he would be proven correct. The gauntlet was thrown and unknown to Hasan was accepted.
The trauma lessened its impact with passing time and Hasan started to revert back to his old ways .This however was not possible, as the care free days were over .His, seemingly, rich father was in reality barely comfortable .Hasan inherited some property, which however did not gave him regular income .He got involved in the business of earning a living, in this process he forgot the challenge he had issued to the Koranic statement.
The business that Hasan stumbled into was construction of civil engineering structures .This line of business was exceptionally dirty ,contractors used less than required materials , unfit and improper materials are used ,the supervising officials sought and extracted a hefty kick back .Hasan was even more disadvantages as he had very little capital .
Hasan struggled to find work for his newly established firm .The construction industry is and was dotted by large number of small and large firms .The officials who manage the contracts against which tasks are given out, mostly, expect handsome kickbacks .The main Drigh Road, as it was then named, needed a bridge to ensure smooth traffic flow over railway lines which the road crossed .Aslam Khan the chief engineer of the department was nearing retirement , the bridge contract was his last chance to create the pile he wished for his retirement .The allures of Shazia ,the buxom dancing girls ,also had demands upon the material wealth of Aslam .He ,Aslam , did not expect the usual, registered contractors to accede to his more than normal or unusual demands .To ensure that his expectation be met he required some manipulations be made to the number and class of competing firms . He managed to pre qualify a number of small firms. This ofcourse was blatant disregard of the rules and norms.
Hasan , who one morning, read the notice in the newspaper, applied for pre qualification. He did not expect any results from this .To his great surprise his firm was allowed to quote and to his even greater surprise he was awarded the million dollar contract .By the time Hasan got the contract Aslam had been charge sheeted, on a different and earlier transgression, and was sent on forced retirement, much to his and Shazia’s disappointment .He was succeeded by Sharrif , an oddity in the corrupt department , he was honest . Sharrif was a insignificant looking , badly dressed man , very few people understood what he said as he mumbled at great speed but he was honest to a fault .Along with Shariff the newly formed Government got interested in the bridge contract , this being an election promise , few of which are honored , was important . The fact that there was to be a by election on the seat vacated by the incumbent, who had a heart attack the day he was to take oath, did not hurt the bridge’s cause .All of this meant that Hasan ,who owned little more than a old motor car and a brief case managed to successfully complete a rather sophisticated contact without paying any body any illegal amount or resorting to corrupt practices .Hasan made a lot of money most of which he gave back to the tax authorities , who were ofcourse disappointed . Hasan after completing the contract was only a little more richer than before but in the process he had acquired and fulfilled a contract in one of the most corrupt section of the economy , without paying any bribes and without resorting to malpractices .Round one to the Koran ,although Hasan did not realize the fact at that time

 .
This was of course not the only incident ,telephone connections , in those days , required a handsome bribe to be paid , Hasan ,for his office ,applied for two connections .Along with his application he mentioned the fact that he was working on a project of “ national importance “ , much to his and the telephone departments surprise he got both connections sanctioned in a week .Similarly pick up trucks were only available after paying a hefty premium or a bribe , but Hasan got his vehicles on the same day without paying any extra amount .
There were instances where Hasan paid bribe but surprisingly did not get what he wanted, people would simply pocket the money offered and not do the undue action promised, a rather unusual occurrence as there is some ethics even in thieves.
There were countless other such examples where, surprising, he got things done without any graft, which customarily required some form of palm greasing.
Game, set and match to you know what .Hasan only realized much later that his challenge had been accepted and successfully defended.

Indian Taliban

The Pakistani connection to Mumbai attacks is clear as the Pakistani Government has taken some individuals in custody on evidence provided by Indians ,The Indian connection is ambiguous. Here are two reports :Telegraph UK reports ‘A Pakistani militant group used an Indian operative as far back as 2007 to scout targets for the elaborate plot against India's financial capital, authorities have said. Ansari, an Indian national, was arrested in February in north India carrying hand-drawn sketches of hotels, the train terminal and other sites that were later attacked in Mumbai, said Amitabh Yash, director of the Special Task Force of the Uttar Pradesh police. India has blamed elements within Pakistan of carrying out the attacks. New Delhi has said the Kashmiri terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, which operates from bases near Lahore, had planned and executed the attack. But the organisational network behind the incident yesterday appeared to stretch far beyond Pakistan and was reliant on help from within India and its eastern neighbour, Bangladesh .All the recovered cards were registered in the name of Hussain Ur Rehman, a resident of a district on the border with Bangladesh ‘www.Zimbo.com reports ‘ .. the fact remains that the Bharati authorities have reluctantly been forced to admit the fact that there is a local connection to the Mumbai attacks. The local connection was first admitted by Ratan Tata, the owner of the Taj Hotel who said the aliens could not know the detailed maps of the hotel–and someone just landing on the beach would not know that there were no metal detectors at the back of the hotel and would not know how to navigate to the top floor without security being alerted. In a five-and-a-half-minute conversation with Imran Babar – [...], who, using the code-name Abu Akasha, took control of a Jewish prayer house in the Colaba area – a still-unidentified controller who appears to have been a native Hindi speaker provided detailed instructions to the terrorist on the contents of a statement he hoped to make to the media. During the conversation, the controller used words like karenga - characteristic Mumbai usage for the phrase “will do” – as well as gathbandan, in place of the Urdu word, ittehad, for alliance, and prashasan, instead of intezamiya or hukumat, for government. All other conversations recorded in the tape are in Punjabi, Urdu and heavily-accented English. Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab, the sole surviving [...] assault team member, had told a Mumbai court that his unit had been taught rudimentary Hindi by an Indian national who was known by the alias ‘Abu Jundal’. How could Ajmal Kasab read and write his confession in Marhatti–when he is supposedly a Punjabi from a small village in Pakistan. How could the militant traverse the distance from the seashore to the hotel carrying RPGs, machine guns and grenades without arousing any suspicion. How could a little dingy able to hoodwink the Bharati Coast Guards, the Indian Navy on the most heavily defended real estate on the planet? Evidence is emerging that ] controllers who guided the course of the November 2008 assault on Mumbai may have included at least one Indian national.’Will both Governments come clean Please .