Date: Monday,November 14th, 2016

Slaughter of the innocents

The bomber struck in a remote area, almost certainly knowing that this would compound the difficulty of bringing aid to those that survived his actions, and so it proved. At least 52 died immediately and over 100 were injured. The figure for the dead will rise. Those that died were among a crowd of devotees performing a dhamaal or devotional dance at a Sufi shrine, by no means the first time that pacifist Sufis have been attacked and likely not the last. It is being reported that the suicide bomber was a teenager between 14 and 16 years, and also reported that this latest atrocity was being claimed by Islamic State (IS). Neither claim is verifiable but the IS claim comes through Amaq, a news agency to which it claims affiliation.

Speculation, much of it ill-informed, is rife as to who carried out the attack and why – perhaps as a reprisal for the killing of the leader of a banned group in a firefight in Hub last Friday, perhaps as a protest against the CPEC, perhaps as a purely sectarian act and perhaps it was the Indians – but the fact is that nobody knows and unless the security agencies get very lucky and capture alive one of those that planned and resourced the attack we may never know.

Balochistan has been the target several times this year. It is vast, thinly populated and home to any number of separatist and nationalist groups as well as the proxies and surrogates of organisations that are at least theoretically banned in Pakistan. In many instances they are ‘banned’ in name only and operate openly holding rallies and collecting funds. If the government wanted to convince us of its seriousness in terms of controlling banned organisations then ‘banned’ should be shown to mean ‘banned’ not some betwixt-and-between status that allows religious feathers to go unruffled. Yet again innocent people have been blown to bloody fragments, men women and children obliterated. Fatuous platitudes and empty condolences from on high will not repair ruined lives. Sadly, our expectation that anything will change as a result remains depressingly low.

Pollution crackdown

The City District Government Lahore (CDGL) has moved rather swiftly in attempt to mitigate environmental pollution hovering over Lahore that causes heavy smog, poor visibility, and various health concerns among children and adults every year. A ban on factories without emissions control practices has been established with some factories having been ordained to shut down operations altogether. While the stringency is good news for Lahore’s atmosphere, the two-month grace period given to factories to implement pollution control measures is quite harsh. A major undertaking such as this should be supportive of factories installing emissions control equipment, and the government, instead of pressurizing industrialists, should encourage and facilitate them in installing the best and most effective equipment that would prove worthy in the long-term. Such an issue of high national importance cannot be discussed superficially and measures executed haphazardly for the matter requires deep thought and input by environmental experts and policymakers to institute practices that will be suitable for decades to come.

This is not to say that the quick government action is unwelcome. It is an important matter because the live of Pakistan’s 182 million people are in danger, on account of inhaling noxious air. The pollution is also affecting the foods we eat, and considering the axiomatic saying, “we are what we eat,” the pollution is impacting us in more than one way, paving the way for genetic mutations for our future generations. Also, with recent trade and industry boosts, now is an opportune moment to implement environmental protection laws with boldly outlined consequences for factories that do not follow them. Environmental impact should be a part of health and safety training to spread awareness among all levels of factory workers because they are all stakeholders in creating a greener Pakistan. The need for measures such as the ones CDGL has introduced is twofold: one, because for any nation, human health and safety must be a top priority and two, because all citizens should bear the responsibility of contributing towards keeping one’s environment as green as possible.

Saying no to drugs

Drug use amongst the younger generation in Pakistan has been a cause for concern for years however up till now comprehensive anti-drug campaigns focusing on young people, have not existed. The Punjab government has now issued instructions to district education officers for enforcing the ban on drugs in educational institutions. The district authorities have also been advised to ensure that information regarding the impact of smoking on health is prominently displayed. The measure comes following a report presented to the Senate where an alarming increase in drugs was reported amongst private school students in Islamabad. Anecdotal evidence also points to an increase in drug use amongst college and university students.

Drug use is particularly dangerous for younger individuals since the chances of long-term addiction increase depending on age. For teenagers drugs act not only as stimulants but can also permanently alter the chemical makeup of the brain. Those who are unaware of the danger that drugs pose are more likely to use drugs through succumbing to peer pressure. Preventative measures such as awareness campaigns have been shown to be effective in reducing the incidences of drug usage amongst adolescents. The Punjab government’s directive is therefore laudable. However, it must be noted that the success of such schemes relies on proper implementation. Although Pakistan has a National Narcotics Control Committee and a National Anti-Narcotics Policy, campaigns to discourage drug use and to inform the public about the effects of drugs, not just smoking, are seldom seen. Provincial governments are required to make significant contributions to the success of this policy and perhaps the Punjab government’s initiative will prove to be one such step. The government should also look into establishing more rehabilitation centres which provide free counselling sessions, in coordination with schools and colleges, that are geared towards younger drug addicts to wean them off.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 14th, 2016.