JAVED ZAHEER NOMINATED GOODWILL AMBASSADOR

JAVED ZAHEER NOMINATED  

   GOODWILL AMBASSADOR

TORONTO:  The Good Governance Forum (GGF) has nominated Javed Zaheer, based in Toronto, Canada, as its Goodwill Ambassador for Pakistan-Canada Relations (PCR).

According to a Press release issued on October 9, 2013, Mumtaz A. Piracha, Founder/Chairman, Good Governance Forum, Pakistan, made the following announcement:

“It is indeed a matter of great pleasure to notify the nomination of Mr Javed Zaheer, based in Toronto, as our Goodwill Ambassador for Pakistan-Canada Relations (PCR). There is a large population of Pakistanis living in Canada or having Canadian citizenship. We need to strength relations with the people and the government of Canada in the best mutual interests of both the countries and their peoples. This will be a step forward in the direction of promoting Pakistan-Canada relations and looking after the welfare of the Pakistanis living and working in Canada. Needless to say, overseas Pakistanis have the right to play a key role in the governance of Pakistan and to contribute to its progress and prosperity.

“Mr Javed Zaheer will be working in coordination with Mr Hanif Khayal, our Goodwill Ambassador for Overseas Pakistanis in Canada. He is also based in Toronto.

“An abridged profile of Mr Javed Zaheer is appended below.

“On behalf of the Good Governance Forum and on my own behalf, I wholeheartedly welcome Mr Javed Zaheer to our gallery of eminent goodwill ambassadors in and out of Pakistan and look forward to a cordial and meaningful relationship in the years ahead.

“PROFILE: Javed Zaheer, Free Expression Award Winner (Awarded by National Ethnic Press & Media Council of Canada—NEPMCC. Award presented by Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, Canada), Desi Idol Recognition Award Winner (Presented by North American Desi Idol), Member/Honorary Director of NEPMCC, Veteran Active Member (VAM) of Toronto Press Club, Ex-Member of The National Club and The Ontario Club, Honorary Editor of English Weekly `Pakistan Abroad’, Canada, ex-Chief Editor (Honorary) of English Weekly `The Ambassador’, Canada, ex-Chief Editor (Honorary) of English Weekly `DAWN', Canada, ex-Senior Sub-Editor of English Daily DAWN, Pakistan (From 1986-1999), Chairman, CANOPI, Director of Children Dignity Foundation (CDF---Canada & Pakistan) and Director, Canpak, Chamber of Commerce, and Director Information, Pak Seniors Forum (PSF), is contributing purely on Voluntary and Honorary Basis in order to serve all people and communities.”

Good Governance Forum (GGF) is Pakistan's first and only interactive think tank on governance. It is the largest, most diversified and most globally searched platform for the exchange of news and views amongst its members from all walks of life. Its website is ranked amongst the TOP 3 on Google and Yahoo! and other major search engines across the globe.

            Fifty plus (50+) key leaders of almost all political parties, diplomats of 18 countries and civil servants are represented on Good Governance forum.

Recognition by the United Nations: Good Governance Forum, registered as a civil society organization/non-governmental organization with the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) of the United Nations, received invitation from DESA to nominate three participants/speakers from the Good Governance Forum for attending the interactive MDA Summit at General Assembly in New York from 14-15 June 2010.

Judicial Petitions: An Achievement of GGF:  Good Governance Forum has been in the forefront in filing applications in the Supreme Court and High Courts for suo motu notices as well as drawing attention on critical issues. Applications can be viewed at http://judicialpetitionspakistan.blogspot.com.

Blog for Chief Minister Punjab: Good Governance Forum created blog http://cmpunjab.blogspot.com for the people of Punjab to enable them to send their comments and complaints for the Chief Minister Punjab. All comments and complaints are forwarded to the Chief Minister for necessary action. Up till now, the blog has been visited by more than 70,000 people.

            Good Governance Mission: To improve governance in Pakistan with a view to

(a) Alleviating the sufferings of the masses and (b) Eliminating the roots of terrorism embedded in poverty, hunger, unemployment, inflation, lack of basic amenities, absence of civil liberties, societal in equalities, illiteracy and injustice in all spheres of life.

Belief: Good governance is participatory, consensus oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and enforces the rule of merit and the rule of law. It ensures that corruption is eliminated, minorities are represented in the political process and the voices of the most vulnerable in the society are heard while making decisions. It is also responsive to the present and the future needs of all the segments of the society.

Methodology: Good Governance Forum conducts research on key national issues; collects data, analyses facts and figures, and recommends measures to the federal and provincial functionaries. In case, the concerned government functionary does not respond within a reasonable timeframe, the forum then files an application in the Supreme Court of Pakistan or the relevant High Court praying for a court directive to the relevant government functionary to respond to the forum's representation. The applications so far submitted to the courts can be viewed at http://judicialpetitionspakistan.blogspot.com/.

It regularly feeds the print and electronic media with its news and views for exposing them to the general public. It interacts with other civil society organizations and supports their endeavours to improve governance in Pakistan.

It creates and publicizes blogs detailing major issues of Pakistan and eliciting support from the civil society.

It provides regular news and views to its members and overseas Pakistanis through http://pakistannewsonline.blogspot.com, http://pakistanviewsonline.blogspot.com, http://worldtimesonline.blogspot.com.

            Funding:  It does not seek or receive funds from government, political parties and special interest groups in and out of Pakistan. It is entirely dependent on voluntary contributions of the concerned citizens around the world.

Services for NGOs and INGOs: Good Governance Forum provides networking service to NGOs, domestic and foreign, to enable them to interact and support each other in Pakistan. GGF links up NGOs doing similar or allied work so that they get strengthened functionally and financially by sharing their experiences, expertise and resources.

GGF also helps the NGOs through their network of 3000+ members from almost all segments of our society in and out of Pakistan who may be able to facilitate the non-governmental organizations in their spheres of activity with their knowledge, experience and connections.

GGF network members from Urdu and English media as well as news agencies and electronic media can render useful services to the non-governmental organizations in furthering their cause within and outside Pakistan.

Good Governance Issues:  Governance has been a core, critical and complex issue of Pakistan during its six decades of existence. The country is today faced with the menacing issues of poverty, hunger, unemployment, inflation, security, electricity, water, gas, transport, housing, education, health, justice, corruption, maladministration, and political instability. The tasks ahead are gigantic and demand a high level of competence, courage and commitment from the political leadership, civilian bureaucracy, and civil society organizations to lead the country of 180 million souls to stability, progress and prosperity.

Briefly, the governance issues emanate and entrench from the absence of Rule of Merit, Rule of Law and Rule of Accountability.

            1. Enforce Rule of Merit in the hiring, training, posting, reward and punishment and the career advancement of public servants in all organs of the state.

            2. Enforce Rule of Law in all cases of civilian and criminal nature equally for all citizens.     

            3. Enforce Rule of Accountability equally for all citizens in a free, fair and transparent manner.

Under the country's Constitution, adopted by all political parties and provinces in 1973, the role of each organ of the state i.e. the executive, the parliament and the judiciary is clearly defined. What is needed is the adherence of the political government to the tenets of the Constitution.

GGF belies that with Unity, Faith and Discipline in our hearts and minds, we can live together, work together and progress together. Sectarian, linguistic, and ethnic considerations cannot overtake the nation's determination to forge unity and live in peace.

The ongoing threat of militancy in the tribal belt is borne out of the long absence of political government, inequitable distribution of wealth and resources, lack of economic, legal and social justice, disregard of tribal traditions, customs and values and avoidance of fair and firm settlement of issues agitating the minds of the tribes.

The tribes are as good Muslims, patriotic and Pakistani as anybody else but like country's other regions, the tribal region also needs a different treatment. Once the government of Pakistan is fully conscious of the underlying stresses and strains and it determines with courage, confidence and competence to resolve the thorny issues, peace and tranquility are bound to return faster than imagined.

The 'War on Terror' has given birth to extremism, militancy and terrorism primarily because of two factors. Firstly, the people of Pakistan are not convinced that it is OUR war. Secondly, the people of Pakistan are not convinced that the modalities adopted for dealing with the Taliban, Al Qaeda and others assumed to be associated with terrorism are the right ones.

Siding with the US and the NATO has not been a good experience for Pakistan and its people in the past. Pakistan fought the America's proxy war in Afghanistan in the 70's and the 80's with a tremendous cost to them in terms of over 5 million Afghan refugees on Pakistan's soil, flow of narcotics from the poppy-growing areas of Afghanistan and the influx of weapons into the length and breadth of Pakistan. Pakistan hardly gained anything in economic terms. Nor did the US and its allies really appreciated the sacrifices made by Pakistan and its people.

The growing extremism, militancy and terrorism as a result of the War on Terror has been taking a very heavy toll on the socio-economic and political well-being of the people of Pakistan and there is no relief in sight.

The US and its allies have consistently supported the corrupt, incompetent and unpopular political leadership in Pakistan in their vested interests without realizing the repercussions of bad governance on the people of Pakistan.

As a result, there is growing anti-America sentiments amongst all the strata of Pakistani society. And the US doesn't seem to plan and develop strategies, plans and programs to improve upon its image amongst the Pakistanis on short-term as well as long-term bases.

Awami Rabita Committees: Good Governance Forum plans to form Awami Rabita Committees (Public Coordination Committees) at district, provincial and federal levels to work in liaison with the district, provincial and federal governments to help improve governance in Pakistan.

The GGF says: “It is the right time for the educated and the enlightened people to come forward and join hands to meet the Challenge of Change in Pakistan. A civilized nation doesn't need street violence to engineer change and the Good Governance Forum will, In Sha Allah, prove it. It is just a matter of time and effort with courage, confidence and commitment.

“There are estimated 30 million middle class people in the country. That is quite a force to reckon with. The youth and the women will be particularly encouraged to join the committees to play their respective role in the building up of Pakistan.”

Mumtaz A. Piracha, Founder/Chairman, Good Governance Forum, Pakistan, by profession is an organizational development consultant. By passion, a writer, blogger and

commentator. By commitment, a public service man. He founded Citi Help Line to help

those who can't help themselves and Good Governance Forum to improve governance in Pakistan. He is Serving humanity for over 30 years.

            Javed Zaheer’s motto is `Serve Humanity In Reality’. He believes in team work and his focus is on the just cause and likes and loves to work with all those people and leaders who work, live and die for the just cause. His aim is to unite and motivate all for this purpose.