Asian Leader issue 313 | Page 10

10 Asian LEADER 15 Jan - 28 Jan 2014 Commission approves privatisation of PIA, other entities P akistan’s Privatisation Commission on Wednesday gave the go-ahead to the privatisation of three state-owned entities, including the national flag carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). A meeting of the board of directors of the commission was held in the federal capital today to discuss the sale of the Heavy Electrical Complex (HEC), the National Power Construction Company (NPCC), and the divestment of a minimum of 26 per cent shares of PIA to a strategic partner. The meeting was chaired by Minister of State, Privatisation Commission, Mohammad Zubair. The board resolved to divest a minimum 26 per cent shares to a private investor and approved initiation process for the selection of a financial adviser for the purpose. According to a press release, the board also resolved that “the employees’ interests shall be protected in the process.” The commission’s board also approved the strategic sale of the Heavy Electrical Complex and the National Power Construction Company, and gave its nod to initiate the process for both the entities. The board’s decisions will now be placed before the parliament for a final approval. The privatisation of the national flag carrier has been a contentious issue fiercely resisted by opposition parties and worker unions in Pakistan. A Senate committee on privatisation was informed by Finance Secretary Dr Waqar Masood Khan that Camel Beauty Contest in United Arab Emirates Thousands of camels strut their stuff in a beauty pageant where judges are impressed by long necks and big humps. I t is one of the world’s most unique beauty pageants. Every year people travel thousands of miles, from across the Gulf, to the Western Region of the United Arab Emirates to attend the prestigious event. But you won’t find any designer dresses, tiaras or make-up artists here because they’ve come to seek out the region’s next top camel. The Al Dhafra festival is in its seventh year and seeks to celebrate and promote Bedouin culture. The highlight is the camel beauty pageant which sees thousands of contestants strut their stuff in two competitions: one for the lightcoloured Asayel breed and another for the dark-skinned Majahim. They’re judged on a range of criteria from the size of the head, length of its neck and the shape of the hump. And big is most definitely considered beautiful. But looks aren’t everything and points are also awarded for model behaviour with the very best camels sold for up to £2m. Khamees Mohammad al Sharee, a camel owner who regularly attends the festival, explains how the winners are picked. “There is a special committee, appointed by the authorities, which judges the competition. They place all the camels together in one pen and decide.” For many people in this part of the Middle East the protection of pure-bred camels is integral to the preservation of their history and traditions. These “desert ships”, as some refer to them, historically provided Bedouins with a source of milk and transportation. They’re also seen, more recently, as a potentially profitable business investment. And it’s not just millions of pounds worth of cash prizes and cars that entice people to come. It’s a matter of national pride with camel-owning families from the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman and other Gulf states all competing. It’s also attracting interest from further afield. For South African, Danielle Tennant, it was her first experience of a camel beauty pageant. “As we arrived we were ushered in and we were given a personal guide. We tried some amazing Arabian coffee and we’ve been taken around to the stalls. “It’s been quite fascinating to think it’s another whole interest, a passion people have.” As well as the beauty pageant the Al Dhafra festival, which runs for two weeks, also hosts camel races, saluki races, falconry competitions and a traditional Emirati market. the government was required to appoint a financial adviser for the privatisation by March-end under an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The finance secretary said the company had accumulated losses over Rs180 billion and, as part of a $6.64 billion IMF bailout package, the government was also required to privatise 26 per cent shares of the company by December this year. However, Privatisation Secretary Amjad Ali Khan said the report of the financial adviser would determine if the privatisation could be carried out in 2014 or would be delayed for two years. According to official documents presented to the IMF, the government has hired one financial adviser and will hire two more by March to offer minority shares in three companies in domestic or international markets by the end of June 2014 subject to investor interest and global market conditions. Muslim woman convicted for wearing veil I t is concerning that the Prosecution had in their possession significant material, which they failed to appreciate. Had the Prosecution investigated the allegations against