Reference Auto

Whenever a catastrophe like an earthquake or a tsunami jolts countries such as India and Pakistan (or any other developing country), rescue efforts take place at a tardy pace and the end result: unprecedented casualties and victims are not rehabilitated even years after the devastation.

Although administrators in the sub-continent show some initial keenness to help the victims, in the long run we see that their interest to pursue rehabilitation efforts with zeal is just lost. The powerful earthquake, measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale, that rocked a remote area of southwest Pakistan, has thankfully not seen any casualties (as per initial reports) but has damaged over 200 structures.

The earthquake was almost a monster and jolted cities spanning from Dubai to Delhi. Two women in Sindh and Quetta provinces of Pakistan died of heart attack and these deaths were not linked to the earthquake, as per a news report.

The earthquake took place around 1:23 am at a depth of 84 km, according to the US Geological Survey. The epicentre was 50 km west of Dalbandin town in Balochistan that has a population of 15,000.

The Pakistani authorities need to not only step up rescue and rehabilitation efforts but also see that they are managed in a better fashion so that victims can find some solace, at least in the long term.

Although black money continues to drain the Indian government's coffers, there has been little effort to plug this stream of money, and in the latest outburst, the Supreme Court has hit out at the government for its mishandling of unaccounted money stashed by industrialists in foreign banks (read Swiss banks).

The apex court slammed the government, saying, “It is theft of the national money. We are talking about mind-boggling crime” (over which the government is yet to wake up from its slumber).

Calling the diversion of the unaccounted sums to foreign banks as a “national plunder”, the Supreme Court told the Centre to share information it had on Indians who have diverted their money to tax havens in order to avoid tax.

Even our politicians have made a killing from corruption in India and diverted dollops of unaccounted money into Swiss banks, a truth that is unlike to see its logical end ever.

This move by the Supreme Court is in the wake of solicitor general Gopal Subramanium seeking an explanation on what steps the government has taken under the Double Taxation Avoidance Act.

Ex law minister Ram Jethmalani and others want the government to retrieve the black money hoarded in foreign banks. But is that possible and are political parties really interested to pursue these irregularities?

Even if the Centre tries to initiate steps, the probe is likely to hit a huge hurdle as Swiss bank authorities are unlikely to cooperate and will remain tightlipped on client names and the amounts of black money parked.