18 Responses to “Live with Talat - 8 May 2008”

1. Mian younas on May 9th, 2008 4:21 am

   good work by Talat………….

2. ataraxis6 on May 9th, 2008 4:34 am

   An excellent program by Talat. While PML-N and P-League are doing politics as usual, I am glad the media and people like Talat are highlighting problems faced by common people.

3. Javaid Khan on May 9th, 2008 4:44 am

   As long as Musharraf Kutta is not kicked out and hanged , Pakistan’s problems will not end.
   Jiay Imran
   Jiay Mian Nawaz Sharif

   Mian de naray wajjan ge… Pipliay saray bhajjan ge.
   Musharraf ………thhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa !!!!!!!!!

4. malik123 on May 9th, 2008 5:23 am

   well done talat excellent job, lanat ho in dictators par who destroyed our agriculture

5. Bahadar Khan on May 9th, 2008 5:59 am

   Bravo Talat! You are of a different breed.

   Some more points in addition to what mentioned in the program.

   1: The cost of land cultivation mentioned might created some confusion here because the landlord of that land was just talking about 1 acre of land cost. 17 time ploughing is associated with a big cost. If somebody doesn’t have a tractor he needs to pay rental for it which is one of the largest mean of plughing by a large number of small cultivators. Tractor usually ploughs 1 Acre of land in one hour and the rate of 1 hours rental is around Rs 500. Which amounts to around Rs 9000. But this is for cotton only. For wheat it requires 6 ploughs. The cost is Rs 3000. The cost of fertilizer is around Rs 1400 and the cost on harvesting and misc. is aroound Rs. 4000. If somebody does all of this then next trouble is support price that until recently was only Rs 425/maund ( 40 Kgs). If all goes well then the best yield is usually around 30 maunds/acre. This amounts to around Rs 13000 gross income. The expenses for this amounts to around Rs 9000. So for all the efforts the take away amount for an owner of 1 acre land is Rs 4000. Does all the hardwork and waiting period of roughly 6 months justifies this profit? Why not that individual, if educated, would go the city and make at least Rs 10000/month by having any small job.

   2. When govt needs to import wheat, it pays around Rs 1400/maund to the international farmer. If our farmer could be given a support price of even Rs 1000/maund, the individual make some nice profit and he would work more hard to grow more in subsequent years.

   3. Above all, this is very risky business. In the months of Feb/Mar there is always a strong possibility of hailstorm which destroys standing wheat crop in minutes. Also global warming is twisting crazy rain patterns whereby dry-spells is becoming very often. Resulting in ruining the crops or no crops at all. If farmer could be assured through low premium/subsidized crops insurance program then risk factor can be mitigated and essenitally an encouragment to the farmer to take his chances.

   4. All the above assessment is made based on the irrigated lands of Punjab and Sindh. But vast tracts of lands in Rawaloindi divison and areas of Baluchistan and NWFP are arid lands. Which entirely depends on rains and the production never exceeds 15 mands/acre, thus leaving even less attraction for the farmer.

   5. Govt. not only needs to step up but initiate programs on emergency baisis to take adequate measures, otherwise the looming food shortage catestrophe would shake up the foundation of Pakistan and mass migration from rural to urban areas would create troubles of massive magnitudes.

   I pray all should go good with Pakistan. And once again I appreciate Talat Hussain’s sincere effort.

6. nota on May 9th, 2008 6:33 am

   @Bahadar Khan
   Thanks for the break down. But all the costs you have listed probably need to be updated as the cost of fuel and the cost of fertilizer and sprays has sky rocketed. And although the government support price has gone up a little (to Rs. 500 I think) it hardly makes up for the increase in inputs. I did talk about this earlier somewhere here mentioning the fact that the ex-factory price for floor mills has been increased by a bigger percentage although the floor mills face no such risks (how much yield will they eventually get, etc.) They get a mound, process it and sell it at a profit while on the other hand the farmer faces all the risks and yet makes less profit if any. Where is the logic in this? Why have a support price at all? Why does our government forget the “free-market” song in this instance?

7. nota on May 9th, 2008 6:35 am

   @Bahadar Khan

   By the way do you know about the taxes the farmers have to pay? I always hear arguments from the other side that farmers pay no taxes. When asked, farmers list ten or more types of taxes they claim they have to pay.

8. nota on May 9th, 2008 6:39 am

   @Bahadar Khan
   Here’s my earlier post.

9. asqu on May 9th, 2008 8:36 am

   Rahzanoo main nahee hay rahbaree
   Rahbroo tum main rahzanee kion hay.

10. TK on May 9th, 2008 10:35 am

    WHAT THE HELL was the previous “AWESOME” government doing?

    Any moshe kutyaan fans willing to protect/defend his incompetent/sorry a$$ ??? >:’-(

11. TK on May 9th, 2008 10:47 am

    *THIS* is how they will kill PPP’s govt. Zardari can kiss as much army a$$ as he wants.. he’s going down if he doesn’t wise up.

12. Usman_Sheikh on May 9th, 2008 12:31 pm

    Add the free version………………………………..add it…..add it

13. sagstag on May 9th, 2008 3:43 pm

    just yesterday,one of the top minister of PPP took an advance responsiblity after five years from now. he is claiming that all the economic problems including food crisis,drinking water problems, excess shortage of electricity and so on for next five years will not be the responsiblity of current govt. They are saving their ass for next five years, so they can do whatever they feel like to do. He was smiling when he made these statements. So now please dont expect anything from the current administration, If you do ,you will be very sorry and dissapointed.may ALLAH bless PAkistan, AMEEN.

14. mya on May 10th, 2008 1:47 am

    @admin

    please upload the free version as its more than 24 hrs elapsed since the premium version uploaded.

15. admin pkpolitics on May 10th, 2008 4:27 am

    Free version available now.

    Admin

16. Revivalist on May 10th, 2008 7:59 am

    Islam and Food Security
    Allah (swt) has revealed:

    “We sent aforetime our messengers with Clear Signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance (of Right and Wrong), that men may stand forth in justice” [TMQ Hadid 57:25]

    Observing the food crisis unfolding over our Ummah and much of humanity, we should recognize that this situation is firstly caused by following a law and system that has not been revealed by Allah (swt). As Allah (swt) has revealed:

    “The Deen before Allah is Islam” [TMQ 3:19]

    We are aware Allah (swt) is the Creator of all reality. He (swt) created humans, their need for food and also the means and resources, such as plants, animals, etc, to satisfy their hunger. Therefore, only Allah (swt) is qualified to design a system that will ensure the food security of humanity. Subsequently we should not be surprised that the current state of affairs is unfolding, as the secular Capitalist system is man-made and therefore incapable of dealing with the task of ensuring humanity’s well-being.

    As a result, when we examine the Quran and Sunnah, we find that Allah (swt) has prescribed many ahkam (laws) that would ensure food security for humanity. These ahkam specify responsibilities of the state, responsibilities of the community, and the responsibilities of the individual.

    The Khaleefah is in general responsible for those under his guardianship. Rasullah (saw) said:
    “Each of you is a shepherd, and all of you are responsible for your flocks.” [Bukhari, Muslim]

    It is the responsibility of the ruler to guarantee housing, clothing and food for every single citizen of the Islamic state, based on the following hadith:

    “The Son of Adam has no better right than that he would have a house wherein he may live, a piece of clothing whereby he may hide his nakedness and a piece of bread and some water.” [Tirmidhi]

    Consequently, the ruler will be diligent in applying the ahkam that pertain to economy, as this will be his best defense on the Day of Judgment. That is, the ahkam of Allah (swt) will address the issue of food security. Some examples include:

    1. “Muslims are partners in three things: in water, pastures and fire” [Abu Dawud]. Muslims have common ownership of pastures and water –the fundamental resources required to produce food. All energy resources are also owned by the people. This means that no individual or company can monopolize its benefits/profits.

    2. Land cannot remain idle. Landowners must ensure that their lands remain productive and do not stay idle. If they fail to use the land within 3 years, it is given to someone who will use it. This is based on the ijma of the sahabah (i.e. who acted on sunnah of the Prophet (saw) without mentioning it) on the saying of Umar ibn Al-Khattab (ra): “The one who circles a land has no right in it after 3 years.”

    3. Prohibition on price-fixing. In era of rising food prices, the State is forbidden from fixing prices based on the following narrated by Imam Ahmed (ra): “Prices increased at the time of the Messenger of Allah (saw), so they said, O Messenger of Allah, we wish you would price (fix the prices). He (saw) said: “Indeed Allah is the Creator, the holder (Qabidh), the Open-handed (Basit), the Provider (Raziq), the Pricer (who fixes prices); and I wish I will meet Allah and nobody demands (complains) of me for unjust acts I did against him, neither in blood or property.” When States do not follow the sunnah of Rasullah (saw), they find that fixing the price of food actually make the food shortage worse, as food retailers hoard their provisions and sell the goods for high prices in the underground market.

    4. Hoarding/monopolizing goods is forbidden. Producers or retailers cannot hoard or monopolize goods in order to cause the price to rise. This is based on the ahadith: “The Messenger of Allah (saw) forbade that a foodstuff be monopolized.” [Athram] and “Whoever monopolized is a wrongdoer.” [Muslim].

    Under the Khilafah of Umar ibn-al Khattab (ra), Madinah experienced a famine. Umar (ra) ordered his governor of Egypt, ‘Amr bin al-As, to dig a canal from the River Nile to the Red Sea to transport grain to the Arabian Peninsula. Umar did not eat anything more than oil and dry bread until he was sure that everyone in Madinah was full.

    The Muslim community is also responsible for ensuring that all people within the community are fed. This is based on the following narration of the Prophet (saw):

    “Any community, whosoever they are, if a person among them became hungry, they will be removed from the protection of Allah the Blessed, the Supreme.” [Ahmed]

    The implication of this hadith is that if a hungry person stole from the community, then the community would have no recourse to recover that property on the Day of Judgment.

    Each Muslim is also responsible for ensuring that their neighbour is fed based on the following hadith:
    “The one who slept (satisfied) while his close neighbour was hungry, and he was aware of that, would not have believed in me truly.” [Al-Bazzar]

    Beyond the responsibility of ensuring the community is fed, Islam promotes a lifestyle where people eat less (which is in sharp contradiction to the Capitalist way of life that promotes over consumption). Rasullah (saw) said:
    “No man fills a container worse than his stomach. A few morsels that keep his back upright are sufficient for him. If he has to, then he should keep one-third for food, one-third for drink and one-third for his breathing.” [Tirmidhi]

    This sunnah ensures and promotes a wider distribution of food, as individuals are encouraged to eat what is required.

    Raising the issue of hunger with non-Muslims

    When discussing the issue of food security with the community at large, we should keep in mind that the Islamic solutions can only be applied based on the aqeedah of Islam. That is, the capitalist mindset of cost-benefit is incapable of implementing the hukm of Allah (swt) because it contradicts it at a fundamental level. Capitalism maintains that man is free, making contradictory for the ideology to prescribe ‘fard’, i.e. responsibilities for people. Allah (swt), through the ahkam shariah, is the only One capable of dictating what is an obligation and what is not. In such discussions, we should be confident in raising this issue. That is, the West likes to talk about rights (e.g. the right to food), but shies away from the discussion of who is responsible for providing this right. The Islamic way of thinking makes responsibilities the primary concern for the individual, as he or she will be held accountable by Allah (swt) on the Day of Judgment for fulfilling these.

    “And We have not sent you except as a mercy to mankind.” [TMQ 21:107]

    Regards

17. Atif Rather on May 10th, 2008 12:33 pm

    Excellent program by talat, right on spot as always. These were the skeletons hid by PML Q government. It unearths all the bullshit claims about the prosperity of the farmer and the record growth rates and so on……………………………DOwn with you Dr. Salman Shah, Doctor Ishfaq, Short-cut aziz.

18. Paf123 on May 10th, 2008 11:06 pm

    @Revivalist

    You have very comprehensively explained Islam and food security. I guess no one will argue the morality and equality of principles laid down by our religion….the real issues societies face is the procedures and laws for the implementation of these principles…..do you know of any procedures/laws drawn by islamic jurist to ensure that there is no e.g. hoarding. How would the supply and demand and related price regime would be monitored for fair distribution of food for the poor at the same a paying a fair price to producers…any blue print of laws drafted by the jurists on some of the issues mentioned above by you…………just curious?

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