Lenders urged to write off Pakistan’s debts

By Latif Baloch

Friday, 15 Oct, 2010

KARACHI, Oct 14: A large number of people on Thursday participated in a rally taken out to observe the ‘Day of Action’ in response to a call given by several civil society organisations in their campaign to force the government to get foreign debts written off in view of the heavy financial burden of rehabilitating millions of flood-hit people.The rally led by the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) started from the Sindh Assembly building and culminated at the Karachi Press Club.

Chairman Mohammed Ali Shah and general-secretary Saeed Baloch of the PFF, Aly Ercelawn and Shujauddin Qureshi of the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (Piler), Abdul Hai of the Human Rights Commission o Pakistan (HRCP) and other civil society organisations’ leaders including Majeed Motani, Tahira Ali and Khuda Ganj Shad spoke at the rally.

They urged international financial institutions to write off all unpaid loans enabling Pakistan to spare the money for the massive population and infrastructure rehabilitation programme.

They criticised the institutions’ harsh policies towards Pakistan in a situation where the country was devastated by the worst-ever floods in its history and its economy was shattered.

The participants were carrying placards and banners and shouting slogans against the IMF, World Bank and other money lenders.

Their leaders said that the rally was the part of the global action against foreign debts.

They pleaded Pakistan’s case and said the floods had caused colossal losses to its economy and the country was faced with the major problem of rehabilitating a huge number of displaced people and revitalizing vast landscapes and agricultural infrastructure.

They noted that Pakistan had to pay $3 billion annually to the lenders under the head of debt servicing charges alone. Writing off the approximately $55 billion debt would greatly help Pakistan cope with the situation, they said.

http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/local/lenders-urged-to-write-off-pakistans-debts-500

 Rally demands use of foreign debt

By our correspondent

Karachi

Hundreds of coastal community people participated in a rally with civil society organisations against foreign debt to observe the day of action on Thursday, urging international financial institutions (IFIs) to cancel their debt and suggesting they utilise the same for rehabilitation of flood-affected people.

Participants carrying placards and banners were shouting slogans against the increasing burden of debt on the poor. The protestors said Pakistan government pays dollars 3 billion as debt service charges annually. They demanded IFIs to layoff total $55 billion debt on Pakistan and announce proper usage of the same for the rehabilitation of displaced communities and compensate marginalized communities of the country.

The protestors were of the opinion that the government should have utilised the same debt on the welfare and development of the communities to improve their life and generate sources of living to alleviate poverty. Instead of this, the debt was utilised for the well being of a small number of elite people.

The protestors said 7.5 million people were displaced from 19 districts of Sindh by the devastating flood. Now, though water has receded in many areas and the residents are returning back, they don’t have anything to do. They have lost almost their entire properties, standing crops and poor shelters. They are looking for help in rebuilding shelters, initiate alternate livelihood activities for their survival, instantly.

Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) leaders said it is the responsibility of IFIs to stop investment for promoting industrialisation as climate change will hit hard the poor. All the developed countries, which have the economic means to act, must therefore urgently and decisively stop doing so to keep the natural resources intact, they added.

Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) organised the rally from Sindh Assembly building to Karachi Press Club (KPC), demanding to cancel the debt and utilise it for the rehabilitation of flood victims.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/15-10-2010/karachi/10078.htm

 Protest in solidarity with action against foreign debt

Pakistan fisherfolk forum

In solidarity with action against foreign debt Pakistan fisherfolk forum participated in Demonstration on 14 October,2010 in Islamabad .The demonstration was coordinated by Sungi development Organization.More than 16 Particpnats from PFF in leadership of Mr. Sami Memon,Media Corodinator,Mr.Ayoub Shan,Central information Secretary joined the Carvan of 300 individuals from various civil society organizations.The Protest rally started from Press club and culminated outside of Parliament.

The carvan vociferously demanded cancellation of all IFIs debit on Pakistan and conditioned its use for welfare of disasters affacteed in Pakistan as.Further, They demanded stoppage of debit given to Pakistan.The participants severely castigated the IFS for sucking the blood of people by charging huge amount on Debt given to Pakistan.By and Large They demanded:

· All the foreign debt on Pakistan shoud be immedilatedly done off.

· Written Off debt shoud be used for welfare of distarters’ affrectees in Pakistan.

· Inorder to ensure proper disbursement of that amount, A Committee comprising memebrs of Civil society organization should be formed.

· There is climated debt on IFI which has spoiled climate through climated unfrienflty projects.Therefore in form of cancellatioin of those Debit,IFIs should retrun climate debt

The Participants chanted various slogans.Some of them are as following:

· “Karz Sey Ziyada Sood diya hey hey ,Khoon Hamara Choos leya hey”

· World bank:hi hi