A common enemy

January 23rd, 2013

THE Indian home minister’s claim that the country’s largest opposition party is sponsoring “Hindu terrorism” is an explosive and alarming one, not just for India but also for Pakistan. It is a claim so serious, in fact, that it will not be taken seriously by some sections of its domestic audience unless the home minister shares at least some of the evidence he says he has; the current dynamics of Indian politics, with a government under pressure and elections within sight, will make it tempting not to take his allegation at face value. Presumably he would only have made it on the basis of reliable investigations at the highest levels. As a first next step, then, he needs to share whatever information he can.

But if we assume for a moment that the remark could not have been an off-the-cuff one, it is as disturbing here as it should be across the border, because religious extremism in India and Pakistan is rarely just a domestic issue. For one, there is the threat of cross-border terrorism, as in the case of the Samjhauta Express bombing, which killed mainly Pakistanis and which the home minister has also traced to the Bharatiya Janata Party. Second, just as some Pakistani right-wing and extremist groups are both anti-Hindu and anti-India, there is a fine line between anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan sentiments when it comes to the BJP’s affiliate, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. The growth of violent religious extremism in India, if it is taking place in the way the home minister suggests, can only fuel animosity towards Pakistan and hinder the peace process.

And it does the same here; Hafiz Saeed has reportedly already taken this opportunity to blame our domestic terrorism on Indian actors. The development underlines how important it is for both Pakistan and India to take seriously the spread not just of external threats, but also of home-grown violent extremism. Focusing on the former allows the latter to flourish, so that both feed off each other in a cycle that makes the entire region more violent. More importantly, as Pakistan knows only too well, religious extremism is insidious. It spreads faster and wider than is obvious, not just strengthening violent organisations but also transforming societal attitudes in a way that supports the growth of those organisations. Pakistan has seen the fallout from its own history of concentrating on foreign threats at the expense of fighting domestic ones and controlling the spread of right-wing ideas at home. As extremist viewpoints gain ground next door, India would do well to avoid the same mistake.

ECP on recruitment

January 23rd, 2013

THE Election Commission of Pakistan’s ban on fresh recruitments and on the diversion of development funds comes against a background of concerns voiced by many people who say such practices by the government amount to pre-poll manipulation. There is little doubt the federal and provincial governments are motivated by political considerations when they resort to “mass recruitments” to follow what is being seen as a “jobs for votes” policy. This recruitment spree has pitfalls, the gravest being the appointment of people who do not have the necessary qualification for the job. However, the ECP exempts appointees who go through the federal and provincial public service commissions. Banning all other appointments raises some questions, because this would have a bearing on the state’s obligations towards its citizens — providing employment being one of them. For instance, the inauguration of a dam or hospital cannot be put on hold in the pre-election period — one that may remain unspecified — simply because this would cast the ruling party or coalition in a positive light. In matters of recruitment, too, the planned expansion of a given department or autonomous corporation may occur in the pre-election period, and for that reason recruitment cannot be deferred. A distinction can be made in some cases; for instance, had the decision to regularise the services of 100,000 lady health workers — a laudable, much-needed move no doubt — come earlier , it could have dispelled impressions that the move was linked to elections.

As for the other complaint, there is absolutely no justification for diverting the money for development projects to the prime minister’s discretionary funds with a view to using the largess for obliging people in his constituency in return for votes. Development money being given to parliamentarians is itself a debatable practice. As experience shows, not all lawmakers use them for genuine purposes and many misuse funds. Monday’s ECP statement doesn’t specify cases where such diversions have taken place. It merely speaks of the “concern being voiced by people”. The federal government should take notice of the ECP’s warning because it specifically speaks of the prime minister’s constituency.

Tragedy in Greece

January 23rd, 2013

THE murder of a Pakistani in Greece over the weekend focuses attention on the phenomenon that is the Pakistani diaspora. In general, overseas Pakistanis are an asset for the nation. The billions of dollars they send home each year is not the only benefit for the country; of equal if not greater advantage are the skills they learn in the developed countries, and though a majority of them choose to settle abroad, some do return to enrich the country with their knowledge and experience in diverse fields ranging from fast food to information technology to nuclear science. They also happen to be an asset for host countries, especially in oil-rich countries, where they are to be found in every department of life. The dark side of it is the kind of tragedy that occurred over the weekend in Greece: in short, illegal immigration.

Pakistani emigrants without proper papers try to enter Europe via two routes: either to Sicily via Libya or to Greece via Iran and Turkey. The hardships they are likely to suffer — hiding in containers, trekking for miles in cruel weather, evading arrests — do not seem to deter them, even if their lives are at risk. They also have some knowledge of what would happen to them if they are arrested: few European governments deport them. If arrested, they are given legal help, and when on bail they earn without a work permit. In most cases, they are eventually allowed to stay on. Pakistan is not the only country that exports illegal immigrants. Many countries fall in this category — Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, India and China besides a large number of African countries. Tightening border controls is hardly the solution; the real and only solution is to educate and equip Pakistanis, remove poverty and create a prosperous society.