Crippling smog
THE thick veil of smog that has engulfed large parts of central Punjab for the last few days may lift soon, but it should leave behind some realisation that when environmental issues are not taken seriously, nature’s revenge can be brutal. The dangers go beyond health and disruption of day-to-day life, as the large accident, caused by the smog in Hafizabad, shows — at least 12 people were killed and over 70 sustained serious injuries. By all accounts, this smog is different from all other episodes of the Punjab ‘fog’, as it has come to be called. This year it has come in the early days of winter whereas it usually occurs in late December. More importantly, the volume of particulate matter and toxic chemicals mixed in the smog has made breathing difficult for citizens, especially children. If this trend means that air quality in Punjab is deteriorating and the contributory factors are going to be increased once coal-fired power generation takes off in earnest, then it clearly indicates that the problem will worsen.
The Punjab government has shown a cavalier attitude towards environmental issues, particularly the impact of its many ‘development’ schemes, which are throwing up enormous amounts of dust into the air, as well as industrial emissions. Nothing illustrates this better than the report that air quality-measuring equipment given to the city of Lahore by the Japanese government is lying dysfunctional because workers have not been trained in its use. Clearly, the Punjab government would prefer to close its eyes to the environmental impact of its myriad developmental fantasies rather than take a measured look and develop the right tools and procedures to mitigate the environmental damage caused by large-scale construction, growing vehicular traffic, and the widespread use of wood and rubber as industrial fuels in the face of gas shortages.
The time has come to act. Nobody is suggesting that development or industrial activity should cease, but two things are absolutely crucial to understand. One is that environmental impact studies cannot be reduced to a mere formality, and the provincial government departments tasked with preparing the assessments for each project need to be staffed with people who have sound technical skills in the area. Second, the smog is a cross-border phenomenon, and although past studies point towards certain trace chemicals as coming from power plants across the border, one cannot argue that it is entirely the result of cross-border particulate matter. Both India and Pakistan are struggling with the smog phenomenon, which is worsening by the year. Yet they cannot deal with it on their own. The smog is indifferent to our political and boundary disputes. Both countries will have to find a way to work together in tackling this menace, or else face its intensifying wrath year after year.
Spy vs spy?
Once India had gone down the path of targeting Pakistani officials in the high commission in New Delhi, there was a weary certainty of a similar response by Pakistan.
Eight Indian diplomats in Islamabad have now been identified via leaks to the media as belonging to Indian intelligence agencies. It can be assumed that the individuals were in fact sent to Pakistan as undercover operatives; it is an established tradition, with carefully observed though secretive rules, that diplomatic missions the world over are partly staffed with intelligence personnel.
The same may be true for the Pakistani individual earlier named in India and it will remain true going forward — neither India nor Pakistan are going to be able to rewrite the rules of diplomacy as practised globally. The Indian action and Pakistani reaction, however, indicate a deeper problem at present: diplomacy has been overtaken by ‘spy wars’.
When the security establishments on either side of the border begin to take aim at diplomatic missions, the old rules of diplomacy can go out of the window, making it difficult to normalise the situation relatively quickly. In this case, deep anger and a sense of grievance appear to be animating both sides.
The Pakistani security establishment is enraged by the perception, manifestly encouraged by no less a person than Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, of Indian interference in Balochistan. Meanwhile, the Indian security establishment, perhaps to help deflect attention from its own failings and excesses in India-held Kashmir, has increasingly railed against alleged Pakistani sponsorship of militancy in IHK.
The suspicions on either side are not new. However, what makes them troubling is the renewed intensity with which they are being peddled and the willingness to take diplomatically disruptive actions based on those suspicions.
Compounding the problem is the civil-military dynamic in the two countries. In India, Prime Minister Modi and his national security team have explicitly played up the importance of the Indian military and intelligence apparatus and appear to have encouraged the trend of growing militarisation of Indian policy towards Pakistan.
In Pakistan, the overt tensions between the political and military leadership, especially over how to approach policy on India, has for now reduced the space for sensible, peace-enhancing decisions. Y
et, whatever the new realities that shadowy forces may be trying to impose, the oldest of realities remains unchanged. India and Pakistan must eventually return to trying to resolve mutual disputes diplomatically and peacefully.
Karachi train accident
THURSDAY morning’s devastating train wreck in Karachi — the third crash in less than two months — should serve as a wake-up call for the railways authorities. In September, two separate train accidents had occurred on the same day — one near Multan, the other in Fateh Jang — resulting in a number of casualties. The loss of precious lives should prompt some soul-searching in this key ministry, so that Pakistan’s railway infrastructure can be made safer. Over 20 fatalities have been confirmed in Thursday’s crash involving two passenger trains, one of them stationary, near the Landhi station. There were conflicting reports in the media about what could have caused the crash; a Sindh government official said the moving train was given the green signal by mistake. However, the railways’ minister, in reported comments, blamed the drivers for not following directions. As said countless times in such cases, a thorough, meaningful probe should be initiated to ascertain the exact details that led to the crash.
It would be callous and irresponsible for officials of the railways ministry to simply express regret over the tragedy, announce a probe and compensation for the victims, and then move on to business as usual. Considering the frequency of such accidents, and the loss of life, what is required is a determined resolve from the officials to ensure that maximum precautions are taken to prevent such tragedies. Perhaps the ministry should conduct a thorough safety audit of railways’ infrastructure and equipment so that it can identify the lacunae that allow such accidents to occur. It is, in fact, quite surprising that few such efforts have been undertaken to make the railways safer. Secondly, a modernisation programme for Pakistan Railways’ colonial-era system is essential. While some steps have been taken in this direction, the pace remains glacial. The railways are a vital mode of transportation, especially for the average person in Pakistan. The nation deserves a network that is affordable, efficient and, above all, safe.
Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2016