Is IT the Panacea?

From the preview of the latest census in India

The literacy rates among the population seven years and above for the country stood at 65.38% and the corresponding figures for males and females were 75% and 55% respectively.

And a decline in growth of population. The other studies will be coming out soon (urban/rural lifestyles etc).

Could this be the reason......

=== Interact Filtered ===
view this users filtered interacts

=== Interact Filtered ===
view this users filtered interacts

=== Interact Filtered ===
view this users filtered interacts

=== Interact Filtered ===
view this users filtered interacts

Quite an interesting, thought provoking interview of Karen Armstrong on the publication of her new book, `Buddha`

http://www.theatlantic.com/unbound/interviews/int2001-03-21.htm

excerpts:

Armstrong sees religion as an essential human activity, one we are no more likely to outgrow than we are likely to outgrow art. Like art, religion, in her view, demands to be renewed, if not totally reformulated,

...As Armstrong points out time and again in her book, the Buddha, more than anything else, insisted that human life be predicated on compassion. And that, rhetoric aside, is not a value our society can be congratulated for realizing

`` When I first began the study of religion, I found it difficult to get a handle on Buddhism. It didn`t have any of the things I considered essential to religion, like a supernatural God, a sense of sin, authority figures, doctrines. But the more I got into religious studies, the more I began to think that this approach, this reticence about the divine, had a good deal to recommend it.``

sac #30: ``All the talk about 7 IT universities and how brilliant the technology minsiter and his minions are is bullshit.``

I would be interested in finding out why you think this talk is bullshit? Do you think the technology minister (I am assuming you are refering to the Minister of S&T) is not brilliant? Do you think setting up IT universities in Pakistan is not a good idea? Are you assuming the universities can never be set up, so Pakistan should not even attempt to set them up? Do you think 7 IT universities will not have any effect on Pakistan`s IT scenario (I think they will have a gigantic effect, considering the fact that Silicon Valley is a by-product of Stanford and Berkeley. And India`s IT success is perhaps a complete result of the IT institutions India set up) In my opinion, setting up IT universities should be the no. 1 priority of the Ministry, if not the whole govt. And I believe they have allocated 70% of their budget to it. An excellent move in my opinion.

``Instead of trying to fill-up the kitty by trying to regulate telecommunication and software businesses, it should concentrate on delineating rules of business in the capital and judicial arenas.``

I agree with this. I think deregulation is what is being attempted in S&T in Pakistan. The move is towards privatizaion and deregulation, and not the other way around. I do not know of any private company or institute in the IT arena that is being taken over by the govt. Do you know of any? However, attempts are being made to privatize PTCL etc. Something the previous govts. should have done.

``a bunch of jaded technocrats looking for their golden parachutes with the esteemed Ata-ur-Rehman in tow``

Could you point out who these jaded technocrats are and what kind of golden parachutes they will be getting. Dr. Ata struck me as the furthust thing from a jaded technocrat. Considering that he is a chemistry professor by profession, his knowledge of IT was extremely impressive. That is the sign of a truly intelligent person, i.e. someone who has detailed knowledge and understanding of areas outside his/her field of study. His core team consists of private sector people, who could probably make a hell of a lot more money if they moved to the USA. The only beaurecrats I came across were the ones in places like PTCL, and the old hands within the ministry. From what I could tell, Dr. Ata was trying his best to actually take the beaurecracy out of S&T in Pakistan. Obviously, him or his team did not mention any golden parachute they may be waiting for. But I would be interested in finding out about one, if you have any information.

``What else can you expect from a bunch of khakis(ex and current) out to discover El Dorado using IT as the preferred form of transportation....``

To the best of my knowledge, there isn`t a single military person in Dr. Ata`s team. And he seems to be calling all the shots. It is however encouraging to see that this govt. had the foresight to appoint a scientist as the head of S&T, and not an interior decorator or stud farmer, like the previous govts. It is also good to see that Pakistan`s current IT policy has been put together by the private sector. And it is heartening to see that the govt. has dramatically (multiple-fold) increased the S&T budget for Pakistan. And it is heartening to see that the actual moves are towards deregulating and privitizaiton and human resource development.

As far as creating a stable economic environment goes, that is a given. It is true under all circumstances. But creating stable economic environments in a country like Pakistan (or in any third world country) is much easier said than done. There is no Aladin`s lamp that can do so in a day. Pakistan should not wait until there is a stable environment before it starts development in IT. There may never be a stable economic, or any other kind of environment in Pakistan. However, IT is one area, where progress can be made without too stable of an economic/political environment, due to its off-shore development model which is completely human resource based, and not infrastructure based. The only requirement is a lot of IT graduates. That`s it. India had one of the biggest basketcase economic environments in the world (a much bigger basketcase than Pakistan), with decade to decade growth rates of only 3% to 3.5% when it started building its IT institutions. Even in the late 80s, major US publications thought India was a lost case. However, now the environment has stabilized and all the S&T universities set up during the old days, and begining to pay off.

I think Dr. Ata and his team are on the right track. They have the right ideas. Whether they will be successful or not, is something we will have to wait and see. But it is heartening to see that at least someone in Pakistan, ``get`s it`` for a change in IT. Even if they don`t end up being successful does not mean they should not even make any attempts. Their responsibility is only in their own area. If the rest of Pakistan goes down the drain, it`s not their fault. What can Dr. Ata do about Morgan Stanley?

``Pakistan will go the Irish way.``

If Pakistan goes the Irish way, at least in IT, I will be the happiest person in the world. Ireland currently is one of the largest, if not the largest exporter of software, outside the US. IT has had a huge effect on its economy.

The solution to solving the problems of ten poorly functioning departments in Pakistan is not to close down or discredit the one that has the potential to function propertly. If Pakistan can, despite all its historical instabilities, set up an export-level arms industry including sophisticated aircraft and submarines, become a cotton producing and textile giant, set up multiple medical colleges and engineering universities (when there were only one or two at the time of partition), build and test nukes, build some of the biggest dams in the world etc., then I don`t see why it cannot make progress in IT. All it needs is the right leadership (a rarity in the past) in place. Which, at least in the are of IT, in my opinion, it has in place now.

I read recently that Pakistan is planning to `produce` 100,000 software engineers per year. This is a scary thought for India which I believe produces only 75,000 per year currently, despite its larger population and number of universities.

If Pak is successful, then they may be able to offer the same services at lower prices, not good for India. Already China is gearing up in English and will offer major competition to India in a couple of years. If other neighbours like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka wake up and get their act together, Indian software industry will be seriously challenged.

On the other hand, if Pak does not succeed in its aim, say its quality is not good enough, I wonder what the reaction will be from all those hopefuls who would be studying IT at Pak universities...

PM #39

Some ammunition for you (as well as me)

These days Islamist are rationalizing that destruction of Buddha is in Islamic spirit and right. All the Maulvis of Pakistan are unaminous in this.

For centuries this thing was never realized to be un-Islamic.

Moreover Mahmud Ghaznavi so fond of destroying idols to far flung areas did not found time to break the idols in his own backyard.

(I think FerozK analysis is right in every respect inspite of many criticism on his article. May God rest his soul in eternal peace. Bechara married Ho Gaya. Haq Mughfirat Kare Ajab Azaad Mard Thaa.

RSaxena:

``On Illustrating a point``

I will agree with your reasonable explanation than Scout`s usual rantings. To illustrate a point is one thing; but you also need to read how the point fits in the whole argument. To me, it does not. Mainly, because we are not even slightly close to that step.

I will go a step further here. The writer is stating a dilemma - Pakistan cannot keep its ``intelligent resources`` in-house due to the external lucrative options. He is focusing on the current issues and proposing on how they should be handled. Spending the money - in the ``required`` areas than introducing the whole IT paraphernalia to the students - is one point. In short, targetting the key areas only! For instance, if the government departments use Oracle - focus on training the individuals in that particular package than looking into other things[Just because they are cool or will add to the individual`s knowledge]I am being very specific here now.

There is no mention that we have reached that far where we can imagine to build any castles in the air. There is no infra-structure in place. Her argument appeared like a joke. Someone who has no clue on how that system works. And this is not the first time that I have come across such examples from her side.

I understand that she was talking about - what we do NOT need. Ironically, beggars are not the choosers! You have to put a viable structure first and then chant about your options. There is nothing there! That`s where the writer is trying to create a plan or a vision! Also, education does create different levels of hierarchy in any society. You cannot take it out of your system. That`s a completely different social issue. What should motivate a man to rise from the slums and sit in a decent office? Education and a Roadmap to utilize it. Why does a farmer want his son to acquire higher education? I had a lot of friends[men and women both] who after acquiring higher education raised their standard of living and outlook towards life. I have written the stories of quite a few how they made it. It comes from self-realization!

I can see why you got perturbed. Did you watch the play that I told you to ? :-)

On another note, I will correct myself: it was Hyderabad and not Banglore that was mentioned in New York Times.

When the excited NY Times` reporter interviewed a rehri- wala/cycle-wala in the vicinity[to gather their perspective on the companies and the work they were doing], he was quite disppointed - the laymen never knew anything about what went on behind the big glass doors and what were the high-rises doing in the middle of nowhere. Well, in a way, the reporter was a dud to have unreasonable expectations. Ironically, the american masses, themselves, have a very low level of awareness - having such an expectation from a commoner of a third world ``developing`` country[no offense implied]was probably asking too much.

Take Care.

AAmir,

Thank you for posting so many `bad` news about india. Please note that they are all from indian news papers, indian reporters, they want other indian and the world to know so that dealings are based on reality. That also gives us an opportunity to correct, change and to evo;ve. By hiding everything, you are not telling the truth. Pakistan is not such a terrible country that Clinto has to use decoy aircraft, the first time in the history of modern diplomacy. If people dont know, they anticipate the worst.

Now tell me AAmir, what is the legal framework under which honour killers are not charged. I know killing is a crime in pakistan, what is the necessary and suficient condition for it to be a honour job. Truth sets you free. Dont talk of corruption blah blah.

regards

jay

Isa,

Many of the IT companies from abroad will welcome the following news from pakistan, and will rush to set up their offices. By the way, in pakistan IT stand for something else, in line with the following news. From deccan herald of today

Foreign missions in Pak warned against attacks

ISLAMABAD, March 26 (PTI)

Pakistan military regime has cautioned all foreign missions and multinational companies against possible terrorist and sectarian attacks during the month of Muharram begining today and advised them to take extraordinary security measures, The News daily reported.

The Pakistan`s Interior Ministry in a letter circulated among the diplomatic missions and the multinational companies has advised them to take extraordinary security measures during Muharram as they could be the likely target of terrorist attacks, the daily said today quoting sources.

The official letter referred to specific warnings from the intelligence agencies, which said that the foreign missions and companies could be the foremost targets of subversive activities.

The intelligence agencies have also warned that enemy agents and anti-social elements have decided to cash in on the prevailing sectarian tension, particularly after the recent incidents of Hangu, Sheikhupura and Lahore and are likely to strike during Muharram, it said.

``We have been asked to restrict our outdoor movements during Muharram, refrain from entertaining uninvited visitors, and keep particular vigil against explosive devices,`` the daily quoted an officer of a multinational company at Lahore.

It said similar letters have been sent to the multinational offices and establishments from the respective district heads of the police, asking for tight security arrangements during the Muharram season.

=== Interact Filtered ===
view this users filtered interacts

Zahra #42,

So should I stop writing my opinion here based on what you think is right or wrong? What is the purpose of an interact board? Is it only for Pakistani infrastructure analysts, or the general public?

We all interact here with different ideals and opinions, and dismissing someone`s ideas in the manner that you do shows your ``intellectual`` snobbery, not wisdom.

You could learn a thing or two from bahmad and Ras Siddiqui, two people I respect here the most, whom I`ve never seen being rude or patronizing to anyone, regardless of their age.

=== Interact Filtered ===
view this users filtered interacts

Re: Zahra

I agree with your post on ``illustrating a point.`` But (I can`t believe I am defending scout of all people) I think the idea she was trying to communicate was that any IT success should not benefit only a few who are already wealthy anyway - this polarization of wealth is a common feature in South Asia.

And no, I haven`t seen the play. Quite frankly I am uncultured when it comes to enjoying Broadway plays. Reminds me of nautankis we had in India. At least those had neat tricks and slapstick humor besides the random song-n-dance in funny costumes.

Scout, please defend yourself.