A stitch in time
September 25th, 2012
Politicians have a penchant for large-scale projects as they associate these with an impressiveness they believe will earn them political capital. But very often, what voters actually need are smaller, more humdrum interventions that are, in fact, of crucial importance. Nowhere is this more visible these days than in the plight of those affected by the floods in parts of Balochistan and Sindh. For the third year in a row, the state waited until the floods were in full swing before taking action. Each time, the rains are preceded by reminders that canals need to be de-silted, natural storm-water channels cleared, embankments shored up and vulnerable populations prepared in case evacuations are needed. And each time, the administration refuses to recognise the danger. It is only when newspaper headlines start raising concerns about the millions of people affected and television screens show shots of forlorn rooftops in a sea of floodwater that the state lumbers to its feet and starts casting about for avenues of relief and rehabilitation.
After the deluge, national leaders give statements about their concern for those whose homes and livelihoods have been lost — as though it were never up to them to ensure that pre-emptive damage-control measures are in place. In the current floods, Balochistan’s Naseerabad and Jaffarabad districts have been the worst-affected; on a visit to survey the damage, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said on Sunday that orders had been issued to release funds to complete all development projects in the province. He also announced that Rs2.6bn had been earmarked for the rehabilitation of people and repair of infrastructure. Given the prime minister’s instructions, we can presume that the funds must be available with the government. In that case, could at least part of the money not have been spent earlier on work aimed at reducing the scale of flooding? Could projects meant to mitigate rain-related havoc not have been completed on a war-footing?
The measures that need to be taken to save this area, which has for three years running been the worst-affected by the floods, are well-known. The Jaffarabad and Naseerabad districts are particularly at risk. They suffer equally as a result of flash floods in Balochistan and when canals are accidentally or by intention breached in Sindh. The measures elaborated here, as well as the creation of small reservoirs to accommodate excess water, could go a long way in making a difference. The question is, will such necessary though not headline-grabbing measures ever make their way to the list of the government’s priorities?
Poor lab facilities
September 25th, 2012
The ongoing controversy over the import of supposedly infected Australian sheep by Pakistan highlights the need for proper research and testing facilities in this country. The sheep were found to be infected with foot-and-mouth disease by two labs in Sindh. However, tests from a lab in Islamabad indicated the animals were fine. This dichotomy in the labs’ findings is one of the major factors fuelling the controversy. In the past, there have also been reports of ‘infected’ wheat being brought into the country. In another incident, over 100 people died in Lahore earlier this year apparently because they had consumed substandard medicine. What all these incidents underscore is that the lack of proper research and testing facilities, both at the centre and in the provinces, have often resulted in confusion or delay in diagnosis.
While lack of resources is often cited as a stumbling block in the way of essential projects, this explanation hardly justifies the current situation. After all, drug-manufacturing companies pay one per cent of their profits to the state as ‘research tax’ — yet there are hardly any drug-testing facilities meeting international standards in the country. Considering that drug manufacturers have been paying this tax since the mid-1970s, the amount collected should have been substantial. It is the public’s right to know how much money has been collected and, more importantly, where and how it has been spent. The pharmaceutical industry that pays this tax should itself be asking the government for an explanation. Since the money was collected in the name of research, it would be best put to use by establishing labs at the federal and provincial levels where research and testing of drugs can be carried out, and where livestock and agricultural products can also be examined as a matter of routine. Such internationally accredited labs can be of use in times of public health scares as well, such as during the dengue season. Not only will the creation of such facilities be of great service where public health is concerned, they will also help certify that products meant for export are safe and conform to global standards.
Picking up the pieces
September 25th, 2012
It was a political statement of much-needed strength and symbolism. Where there are those bent upon destruction, there are also others willing to do what they can to save the targets. Most Pakistanis were still recovering from the shock of the fury displayed on Friday by rioters, but some steadfast souls pulled themselves out of despair and decided to do something proactive. On Sunday, in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad a number of young men and women went to the spots that had seen the worst of the violence, and cleaned up. Armed with brooms and dustpans, paint and brushes, they did what they could to return their city to normalcy: sweep away the glass, repaint pickets, pick up spent tear-gas shells and collect the stones that had been hurled. In doing so, they sent out a strong message: not only were they not on the side of those who resort to violence, they were active supporters of the rule of law. Few in numbers though they were, they demonstrated to all who saw them — including the demoralised police personnel who had faced the wrath of the mobs — that even in this pall of night, there is light.
Pakistan desperately needs more such pro-activeness if it is to find a way to stand fast and resist the rising tide of obscurantism and extremism. These people’s act should shame the nation’s leaders, otherwise so adept at manipulating large bands of their supporters; the call to clean up localities laid to waste by the mobs could equally have come from them, and been led by them and their workers. It would have been a powerful method of silent rebuke, and of interest in Pakistan’s welfare. Instead, what we have witnessed on the political front is barely audible censure of even the violence itself, let alone anything constructive.