Afghan refugees
September 03, 2012
The problem with being a refugee anywhere is that sooner or later — and it could be a lot later — it will be time to go home. The Afghans living in Pakistan, still the largest population of refugees anywhere in the world, now face the difficulty of leaving what for many is ‘home’ and returning to their own country — which for many is not home at all. Broadly speaking, Afghan refugees in Pakistan fall into two categories: registered and unregistered. Many of them are second-generation and were born here. Those that remain are mostly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but they are scattered across the entire country to a greater or lesser degree. There may be as many as three million, and Pakistan has decided it is time for them to go home. Those that wanted to go home already have, which leaves a significant population of Afghans who have little or no desire to return to their home country.
Those registered have a valid status only until December 31 2012, those unregistered have no status whatsoever. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had directed all unregistered Afghans to leave by August 31, a deadline now past. The statement is unequivocal in saying that all Afghans, registered and unregistered have to leave by December 31 2012 and a humanitarian crisis is before us. There are reports that other provinces have already been moving to clear their Afghan refugee populations, deporting them via Torkham. Those with businesses — and there are many — are being advised to pack up, liquidate their assets and move back whence they came. The statement flies in the face of that made by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) last month. The UNHCR was quick to deny a report in a foreign newspaper that Pakistan was planning to repatriate the Afghans by the end of the year, a denial now clearly at variance with ground realities. There is going to be no happy or tidy end to the story and persuading — or forcing — nearly three million people back across the border in the next four months is going to be a huge logistical task. The government and the UNHCR need to be reading off the same page which is apparently not the case at the moment; and a joint statement defining the true nature and future of Afghan refugees in Pakistan would be greatly welcomed. This issue must be handled with maturity and with proper planning and resources else it turns into a major source of disturbance and violence in an already troubled situation.
POL pain again
September 03, 2012
After the last rise in POL prices, the government said that it would be issuing weekly revisions in line with global fluctuations in the price of oil — a promise that for once it appears inclined to keep. There was disagreement between ministries as to whether the whole cost of the increases in POL products should be passed to the consumer. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources wanted to pass on just 50 percent of the total increase, and the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) had likewise wanted to cap the rise. Despite this, the Ministry of Finance decided to pass on the increase in POL and CNG prices anyway, effective immediately. Petrol has gone up by Rs7.77 a litre to Rs104.55, high speed diesel (HSD) now costs Rs112.13 and the price of CNG in Region-I has increased by Rs7.11 per kg and in Region-II by Rs6.50 per kg.
All of this upwards pricing is going to undermine the prime ministerial claim to have brought Pakistan to single-digit inflation well below the waterline. It may have been briefly below ten percent but as most goods are transported using HSD, including all the ‘kitchen’ items and vegetables, it is difficult to see how the rise in POL prices cannot but be reflected in the price of everyday staples. Fuel prices are now at a historical high and given global trends are likely to go higher still. The worsening rupee-dollar exchange rate is going to further exacerbate what is a virtually-certain spike in the headline figures for inflation. There is criticism of the new review schedules from parliamentarians who say that the weekly review is of benefit to the pump owners and the companies that supply them with POL products which ‘hoard’ supplies when a rise is thought to be imminent. With rises now weekly, both are likely to make a killing in the market. As ever the common man — and woman — loses out and the economy drops a notch or two lower.
Reforming prisons
September 03, 2012
The prison system in Pakistan is a national disgrace as was so ably pointed out by a report authored by the International Crisis Group (ICG) last October. There are 91 prisons with an official capacity of 42,617. In January 2011, they held 75,586 inmates, rising to approximately 78,000 by the end of 2011. This represents an occupancy of around 180 percent. The figures would be much lower were more people granted bail, and a startling 70.7 percent of the prison population is not actually convicted of anything; they are held pre-trial or on remand, and the prison system is hostage to the inefficiencies of the justice system. Against this backdrop, the Sindh provincial government has announced plans to set up a separate jail for the ‘most dangerous’ criminals and terrorists, and has set aside Rs2 billion for the purpose. There are around 200 in the ‘most dangerous’ category and currently they are spread around the 25 prisons in Sindh. Overcrowding makes it difficult to segregate the high-risk inmates and a move such as this should improve not just prisoner security but national security as well.
The Sindh jail authorities have received threats of attacks on prisons; and given the highly publicised and very successful jailbreak in Bannu which saw the Taliban spring about 400 prisoners last April such threats must not be taken lightly. The prison service is poorly trained and resourced and corrupt to the core. Prison officers often lack even the most rudimentary training and there is little by way of ‘reform’ built into the system. The new jail in Sindh — assuming all goes as planned — will not only offer greater security but may be a model for other prison reforms as it will incorporate vocational training for prisoners and enhanced training for those that guard them. The prison population is steadily rising and there is no indication that the trend will abate. Other provinces would be wise to follow the Sindh example, because this is a problem that is only going to get worse.