(8th May 2013)

Attack on Syria

Israel began a dangerous game on May 5, when it unleashed its second raid in 48 hours into Syria. A host of international community members, including the United Nations, warned that this could trigger a regional crisis. Israel claims the raids targeted Iranian weapons that were bound for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which, along with Iran, are allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Iran has long denied charges that it is acquiring atomic weapons but the accusation now threatens to spill into the Syrian conflict. Syrian Information Minister Omran alZoubie said Israeli aggression could “open the door to all possibilities”, echoing concerns that the conflict could spiral out of control in an already volatile region that is home to endless bloodshed. More than 70,000 people have been killed since an uprising against the Assad regime began in Syria in March 2011. There have been scores of massacres, a great number of Arab League meetings, Friends of Syria meetings and so on but nothing seems to bring the world closer to a solution on Syria, i.e., an exit for Assad, and US President Barack Obama remains steadfast in his refusal to send troops to Syria.

Israel has always acted from a place of arrogance, with little regard for international law, and always sure that the US will legitimise its action as just. In the latest attacks, it knew that it was giving Assad little room to manoeuvre because an already embattled Syrian regime would make all the right noises about striking back, but would have to think long and hard before dragging Israel and, in effect, the US, into conflict. However, it would be foolish for Israel to continue with its irresponsible ways and assume that any one party does or does not want to engage in conflict because it runs the risk of dragging an entire region into a conflict from which it could take decades to embroil oneself out of. For this, the United Nations and the US must pressure Israel to see right and do right, before it is too late.

Farewell, Shah ji

With the death of Syed Abbas Athar, group editor of the Daily Express, a historic chapter in Pakistan journalism has come to an end. He was laid to rest on May 6th leaving behind hundreds of thousands of mourners. More fondly known as Shah ji in the journalistic circles, Abbas sahib was a journalist par excellence, a progressive poet and a self-made man. A giant among journalists with unrivalled scruples, Shah ji stood out amongst many other icons of his generation.

He was one of the few good men who not only believed in ethical journalism but stood up for his principles. Journalists today sometimes seem to be more interested in sensationalism, unlike the old school of thought that Shah ji adhered to. He recognised the real meaning of journalism, he knew how to editorialise and he understood the importance of words.

Pakistan’s English press is known to be more progressive than its Urdu counterpart but Shah ji’s liberal views brought a whole new dimension to Urdu journalism. He was one of the few Urdu journalists who took a stand for Governor Salmaan Taseer. In the wake of Mr Taseer’s assassination, Shah ji took on the right-wing fundamentalists and tore them apart through his logic and rationality. As the journalist community bids adieu to Shah ji, his poem Bhutto ki Beti will live on for eternity. Despite being a devout Bhuttoist, he minced no words when it came to criticising the PPP government. A good journalist is the one who treats everything on merit, with an unbiased and impartial view. Shah ji did that and more.

His creativity knew no bounds. With an excellent command over the Urdu language, Shah ji’s columns read more like poetry than prose. It is no wonder he had a great following amongst the Urdu readership. While his commitment to his ideals is no secret, his creativity set him apart from other editors. Pakistani journalism will never be able to replace a man of his stature. It is with heavy heart that we say goodbye to an icon. RIP, Shah ji.

Blood on the ballot

The ballot papers dropped into boxes on May 11 will bear not only stamp marks ahead of the names and symbols of candidates, but also more sinister stains of the blood that continues to spill. The latest attack came in Hangu, targeting the election campaign of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal (JUI-F) and killed around 11 people, while around 35 were injured. Following the blast, a curfew was imposed in the area. This came just a day after a deadly blast in the Kurram Agency, which was the first to target a JUI-F rally. Twenty-three persons were killed and at least 47 injured as the party’s candidate for NA-38, Munir Orakzai, addressed party activists outside a mosque. Though Mr Orakzai himself, who was not injured in the blast, appeared bewildered by the attack and stated he had no enmity with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the banned organisation disagreed.

In a statement, TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan stressed the explosion was directed against Mr Orakzai himself, rather than the party, as the candidate had in the past “worked with the ANP, PPP and MQM” to hand over Arab “mujahideen” to the US. The three parties named by Ehsan have, of course, been most frequently targeted; the JUI-F, in contrast, is seen as being ideologically close to the militant force, necessitating the TTP clarification as to why it was carried out.

The thinking and complex politics of militant forces can be hard to understand. But what we can see is that the Taliban have emerged as major players in the electoral battle. They also seem determined to carry on with their games of death right into the polling day itself. The explosions occur virtually each day, and go to demonstrate just how helpless we are as a state before these forces. This is a terrifying reality. We are now confronting it head on and seeing a situation in which the militants have come to dictate more and more aspects of life, including how our democracy operates. This is not a good omen. We can only hope that all parties will move closer to recognising this and accept that the challenge of stopping the militants will be crucial to our future. They have already demonstrated just how capable they are of wrecking it and leaving behind only mayhem.

(9th May 2013)

A shrinking economy

The last assessment — or one can call it the final report card — of the previous government’s performance on the economic front is in and there are really no surprises. All the growth targets have been missed, and by a significant margin.
What is worse, the already dismal rate of growth seems to be tapering off, which is perhaps because of the extremely irresponsible fiscal behaviour of the previous government in its last year in office, which was obviously election year.

And just as the government did with inflation, making changes in the methodology to ensure that inflation numbers clock in lower, it did with growth as well. The base year was changed from 1999 to 2005 and this basically ensured that the GDP growth rate registered at 3.5 per cent, which otherwise would have been about 3.2 per cent. It does not really make much of a difference though since 3.5 per cent is still worryingly low and a deep cause for concern. One also has to realise that growth rate is relative and has to be pegged with something or based against another value for one to get an idea of how good or bad it actually is.

It’s the same for economic growth. There is a very easy way to assess if the economy is growing in real terms or not. And that is to see if the economy is growing faster than the pace of new job seekers who enter the market every year. The number of job seekers in Pakistan increases by about seven per cent every year. So, in real terms, with the current growth rate of 3.5 percent, the economy actually shrunk 3.5 per cent this year. There has been no real growth at all.

And it seems there won’t be any in the medium term. Based on reports coming in, it seems we are going to miss our tax collection target by a wide margin and our wheat production target by over a million tonnes. Both are significant. Low tax collection will cause the deficit to swell, and a fall in wheat production will push up food prices, and inflation. The domino effect will be hard to tackle.

Safety at political rallies

The unfortunate fall of Imran Khan in Lahore evoked compassion and sympathy for the leader who is leading a historic election campaign in the country. But this incident also raised serious concerns on the larger issue of security arrangements at election rallies. The avoidable incident on May 7 shows how our political parties need to make foolproof arrangements for the safety of their leaders and workers. Another key lesson from this accident was the need to have better medical services available at political rallies. Mr Khan, after the incident, had to be taken to the hospital in a personal car as no ambulance was available on the spot. Similarly, the lack of safety regulations for the company that may have provided for the arrangements also needs to be examined further.

Following the event, we witnessed a rare moment when Pakistan’s politicians united in the wake of Imran Khan’s fall and subsequent hospitalisation, with almost all leaders offering their sympathies. In a heated campaign, all partisan bickering was put aside. Both the MQM and the PML-N cancelled their events for a day and prayed in public for Imran Khan’s health. The PML-N’s response was even more telling, given that the PTI threatens its chances in the Punjab province. Nawaz Sharif’s speech in Rawalpindi was statesmanlike and he also referred to his earlier attempt to bury the hatchet with the PPP, when he was the first political leader to visit the hospital in 2007 where Benazir Bhutto struggled with life after a lethal attack on her. President Asif Ali Zardari also expressed his concern at Khan’s injury.

It is hoped that this will be a turning point when political parties appreciate the simple point that democracy will only strengthen when they all stand together on core issues facing the country. One such issue is that of terrorism which has afflicted the ANP, the PPP and the MQM. The country is passing through an existential crisis and it would be most appropriate if all political parties unequivocally united against the militant threat as well.

Facts of life

If babies could choose, they would opt not to be born in Pakistan. Entering the world here exposes them to all kinds of dangers, with the country, according to a report released on May 7 by Save the Children, having the highest first-day infant mortality rate — one in 77 babies — in Asia. The report titled Surviving the First Day: State of the World’s Mothers 2013, explains that this accounts for 17 per cent of under-five deaths. It also states the 0.9 per cent annual decrease in infant mortality in the country is lower than the global average of 2.1 per cent. The report is the first to put out a Birth Day Risk Index, which tabulates the death rates for babies in their first day of life in 186 countries. Findings reveal that around 60,000 Pakistani babies died within the first day of life, accounting for 30 per cent of all newborn deaths.

The reasons given have been discussed before, and include a high rate of pre-term and underweight births, at 16 and 32 per cent respectively, the poor nutritional status of mothers and a lack of family planning. The country also had the highest number of stillborn babies in the region, at one-in-23, while one-in-28 do not live beyond the first year. The need for more health workers and improved breastfeeding practices to prevent this situation was also discussed.

Quite clearly, we are looking at disaster. Indeed, we have been looking at it for far too long. While other nations have been able to offer mothers and newborns improved healthcare, we have failed miserably in this regard. The issue has never been a policy priority, and it is women and children who suffer as a result. Most women in the country give birth in the absence of a trained attendant; they receive no ante or post-natal care. The situation can change only if the government makes the issue a priority, and takes far more active measures to offer maternal and child healthcare while also raising awareness about this issue and all those related to it. Only if this happens can the lives of people be changed.

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Yes We Can Do It!

(10th May 2013)

Violent Days

The May 11 poll has already left behind pools of blood in the run-up to the actual process of balloting. And, of course, we do not yet know what may lie ahead for us once this is over, or indeed on polling day itself, given the atmosphere currently prevailing in the country. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), Sindh and Balochistan have each experienced their share of violence, with K-P the worst hit of the provinces. The blood continues to spill with news of fresh deaths coming in on a regular basis. It is hard to know where the killers will strike next. So far, the ANP has been the worst hit party, its leaders and activists falling to Taliban bullets and bombs. As per the threat made by that organisation, the MQM and the PPP have also not been spared, with the PPP campaign badly affected by security threats. JUI-F meetings have also been attacked and some analysts suggest that this is due to internal rifts within the TTP.

In Balochistan, the violence from nationalist elements has been still less discriminatory, with virtually every party contesting elections a possible target. An elaborate security plan has been devised for the province. How effective it will be is something that still has to be seen. We do not have long to wait now before polling gets underway.

The figures compiled are telling. In April alone, according to the Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies, 110 people were killed and over 700 injured in poll-related violence across the country. Some 81 were victims of terrorist attacks while others died in clashes between workers. These are in many ways terrifying statistics. They indicate a complete breakdown of law and order in the country, where the rule of law seems no longer to exist. The bloody run-up to polling will inevitably have an impact on the election itself. In Karachi, in Quetta, in Peshawar and in other places fear will loom large, affecting turnout and as such the results. This is not a happy situation to be in, but we hope that, at least, sufficient security is provided on election day to avoid similar violence and to ensure that people are protected as they come out to cast their votes. Indeed, for the incoming government, tackling the security situation should be a top priority and we hope that they will deal with it accordingly.

Murder behind bars

As we had all feared, Sanaullah Ranjay, the Pakistani prisoner brutally beaten in a Jammu prison during an attack by fellow inmates a week ago, has died at a Chandigarh hospital where he was being treated. Ranjay, who suffered severe head injuries, had been in a critical condition for days. The brutal assault on the 52-year-old had come immediately after Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh died after being beaten up by other prisoners at Kot Lakhpat Jail. This was then a case of tit-for-tat violence. Its nature, and the mindset behind it, are unfortunate. Families in both countries have received the bodies of loved ones as a result of these actions and the apparent failure by prison authorities in either country to protect those in their custody.

The incidents also add a new element of tension to relations between India and Pakistan. The issue of prisoners held across the border is one the two nations have been unable to sort out, despite many rounds of talks spread over years. The death of Ranjay has triggered protests from Pakistani consular officials in New Delhi as well as the Foreign Ministry. This does not help in the broader task of taking relations forward and creating a friendlier regional environment. Given the desperate need for this, it is important that incidents such as the attacks on persons behind bars be avoided at all costs and mechanisms put in place to ensure this.

It is important that other prisoners be protected. According to New Delhi, there are currently 535 Indian prisoners held in Pakistani jails. As many as 483 of them are fishermen. It is unfortunate the issue of fisherfolk who accidentally stray into each other’s territorial waters remains unresolved. Similarly, hundreds of Pakistanis are believed to be detained in Indian jails, again many of them fishermen. The deaths of these two men, one Indian and one Pakistani, remind us of the need to do more to ensure the safety of all those held behind bars in each other’s countries and for New Delhi and Islamabad to step up efforts for this.

Plight of child jockeys

The story of 19-year-old Shakil who has yet to overcome the trauma he endured as a camel jockey in a Gulf state years ago was just one of the disturbing stories of the 200 of 1,200 boys returned to Rahim Yar Khan in deplorable conditions years ago. They have yet to find their footing in life. Shakil attends school but lags behind and is in class eight. A physician at a nearby district who treats former child jockeys says many of them suffer from mental health issues due to having been exposed to trauma at the hands of their employers in Gulf states. This is despite the passing of laws that banned the use of child jockeys in the early 2000s and even though, in 2002, Pakistan ratified the Prevention and Control of Human Trafficking Ordinance which banned the trafficking of children into the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf nations. Yet, this practice continues to date, especially from southern Punjab, with the main motivation being dire economic conditions which force parents to send their children abroad.

A politician familiar with the area and the lucrative trade said in a report on May 8 that despite his best efforts, he was unable to put an end to this menace because parents send their children “for the sake of money”. Clearly, there is an economic aspect to this issue but whose job is it to ensure that a child is adequately looked after and not pawned off by its parents? Once a child is sent abroad, he has no representation whatsoever as his embassy is, sadly, of little to no use and there is no access to legal recourse. In such matters, the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau should be called on to protect and care for children and see to it that they stay in Pakistan at all costs. There is also a matter of compensation owed to former child jockeys by the UAE government from 2008. It would be good if someone in officialdom could see to it that these poor families get the claims so that they can gain some semblance of a normal life.

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Yes We Can Do It!

14.05.2013

The governance game

We often forget that elections are only the first step in the far more important process of forming government and getting on with the task of running national affairs. After the colourful dramatics of balloting itself, the events taking place now are far quieter ones, as meetings are held behind closed doors. The busiest centre of activity right now is, of course, Raiwind, where the PML-N and Mian Nawaz Sharif — set for his third stint as prime minister — work out their strategy and consider the options. Some matters are, of course, easy to decide: in Punjab, where the PML-N has a two-thirds majority, the party will comfortably form the government. It requires no partners this time to do so.

At the centre too, the PML-N, inching closer and closer to a 130-seat mark, can easily enough round up the few independents needed to make up 136 — and gain a simple majority in the National Assembly with its 272 seats. However, in a mature political move, Nawaz Sharif is reportedly keen to include the PML-F and political parties of Balochistan in his government. The inclusion of the Baloch could prove an important gesture, and a wise one, considering the need to settle unrest in that disturbed province. For the government in Quetta, too, the PML-N is planning an alliance with political parties of the province.
While Sindh will stay with the PPP, it is in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa that the most complications arise. As the party with the largest number of seats in that house, the PTI has the constitutional right to be allowed to form the government first. We must hope this democratic right will be respected — with the PML-N apparently considering making a bid to form the government here too, and evade possible clashes with the PTI over issues linked to militancy and Afghanistan. We hope the right thing will be done. At this point, cooperation is required. With the PPP holding a majority over the PML-N in the Senate till 2015, the former ruling party can block legislation. But this ability must not be used maliciously, so the government can move smoothly and attempt to meet key needs.

Management of electoral process

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) declared the May 11 elections the “costliest” and “most poorly managed affair” in Pakistan’s history. The HRCP is not wrong but we must give credit where credit is due. For the first time in Pakistan’s history, we will witness a smooth transition to democracy. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the caretaker set-up did their best to serve this country. Granted that things could have been better but past experiences with handpicked interim governments instead of a neutral set-up were a lot worse.
The ECP not only got rid of fake voters’ lists but it also facilitated voters through text messages in order to ensure that the voters had ample knowledge of where to go and cast their votes. While a better managed election would certainly have been preferred with there being room for improvement and lessons to be learnt for the next elections, the rigging allegations that are coming in can only be proven if the sealed bags containing ballot papers were seen to be tampered with. In most cases, violations of a different nature are being reported — some voters being turned away, contestants found in polling booths, harassment of rival party’s voters, etc. Such cases are not unheard of in elections in other parts of the world. In fact, the level of mismanagement this time around is not high enough to question the overall results.
The fact is that most observers, both foreign and local, have termed the 2013 elections to be largely non-violent and fair. Specifically,it should be noted that what happened in Karachi was not mismanagement but a successful attempt by criminal elements in political parties to disrupt polling where they had a chance of losing. The ECP is looking at what happened in Karachi and hopefully will act accordingly. It would be better if it is allowed to do its job instead of being discredited for the entire electoral process.

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"Nay! man is evidence against himself. Though he puts forth his excuses." Holy Qur'an (75:14-15)

15.05.2013

Foreign policy challenges

Now that the PML-N is ready to assume power, it will have to tread carefully with respect to foreign policy. In particular, while resetting relations with India and the US, the new government will have to tread a cautious path, taking into consideration the strategic worldview, and the traditional mindset in policymaking circles around which our foreign policy has generally revolved.
Nawaz Sharif’s position on India is well known and he has reiterated it time and again. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s invitation to him to visit India is significant, as is the reciprocal invitation by the prime minister-elect to Mr Singh for his oath-taking ceremony. But the dialogue process between the two countries is likely to be fraught with the known roadblocks: Pakistan’s insistence on the core issues and India’s emphasis on terrorism. Having said this, Mr Sharif finds himself in a historic position to consolidate the gains made by the outgoing government with respect to trade and visa liberalisation.

With regard to the US, the PML-N manifesto emphasises Pakistani sovereignty and national interest when it comes to ties with the superpower. The PML-N is on record to have opposed the drones. Thus, its hardest task will be handling the drone debate, and developing a clear, honest line on the issue. The Nato troops pullout from Afghanistan in 2014 will place Pakistan in a tight corner. This would be a consummate test of Mr Sharif’s leadership skills. While he has indicated close but reoriented ties with the US, it is hard to see how things can improve given our dependence on US aid.
The greatest foreign policy challenge for Mr Sharif would be Afghanistan. Despite President Hamid Karzai’s welcoming statement at the PML-N victory, tensions are likely to exist as US troops pull out and the Taliban gain momentum, particularly with help from groups operating in Pakistan’s border territories. It must be mentioned that the PML-N’s foreign policy is likely to be intertwined with domestic policy on dealing with extremism and the impunity with which militant groups allegedly operate inside Pakistan. There was never a greater need for effective linkages between the two, especially with regard to Afghanistan. Mr Sharif’s ascension to power comes at the right moment.

Education emergency

According to Unicef, 17.6 per cent of Pakistani children are working and supporting their families instead of going to school. While affordability is an issue, a lot of girls do not go to school because of lack of basic facilities like separate toilets. The South Asian Forum for Education Development’s (SAFED’s) Annual Status of Education Report 2012 says that 23 per cent of all school-age children, predominantly girls in rural areas, are still out of school.
There are noticeable differences in gender literacy and in the level of literacy in different parts of Pakistan. This is a cause for worry. It is extremely important to educate the girl child because no education policy can work efficiently without gender balance. The government should know that the reason developed societies have made progress is because they realised the worth of education and gender equality. As it is, Pakistan is struggling with its literacy rate. Add to it, lack of gender equality in the education sector and we are doomed.
Pakistan’s education sector has been given inadequate budget allocations in the last many decades. Now that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is all set to form the next government, it must make headway in education reforms by allocating more money to the education sector and taking the issue of girls’ education quite seriously. Since the provision of quality education has not been on any government’s priority list, the education system stands compartmentalised into private and public education. This has resulted in a class-based society despite the fact that education has always figured prominently in the manifestos of every political party. It is hoped that the PML-N will ensure quality education across the country. The next government also needs to address the issue of child labour, which is a result of the poor economic conditions of the country. The government should take concrete steps to ensure equitable distribution of wealth and provide quality education to all and sundry.

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"Nay! man is evidence against himself. Though he puts forth his excuses." Holy Qur'an (75:14-15)

(15th May 2013)

Karachi clampdown

The imposition of Section 144 in Karachi, which prohibits the gathering of more than four people in any one spot, would effectively, put a stop to political gatherings in the city. This is unjust and blatantly unfair, since the fact of the matter is that electioneering is still on in Karachi. The Election Commission of Pakistan has ordered a re-poll at around 40 polling stations in NA-250, as well as PS-112 and PS-113, where there were allegations of widespread wrongdoing and malpractice. Till this exercise has been completed, the parties involved have every right to campaign and stage rallies and meetings to do so. The clampdown on such activity is thus highly problematic. With Section 144 in place, they will not be able to do so. The order also prevents political groups from making their grievances heard, which they have every right to peacefully do. Preventing this is undemocratic and will only add to frustration, resentment and misgivings. This is not a positive development for it effectively puts a stop to legitimate political activity.

It is also a fact that Section 144 has been misused far too often in our country. This has been the case in Karachi, too. A giant hurdle has been put in place, preventing people from exercising their basic rights and possibly influencing the important re-polling process in NA-250, PS-112 and PS-113 to be held on May 19. The matter needs to be reconsidered in the interests of justice, so that we can evolve into a true democracy rather than one where the basic rights of citizens, including that to peaceful assembly, are blocked again and again. This will result only in more problems as the sense of injustice and the anger that comes with it expands. This matter must be dealt with in a mature manner, so that allegations of unfairness in electioneering and polling do not continue to mar the historic achievement of transition of power from one democratic government to another.

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Yes We Can Do It!

(16th May 2013)

Moving forward

After the unfortunate acrimony during the recent election campaign, things are settling down. While the Pakistan Tehreek-e- Insaf (PTI) protests against alleged rigging continue, Nawaz Sharif has taken the first step to defuse the tension. His symbolic visit to see Imran Khan at the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital in Lahore was a gesture that deserves much appreciation. This move was also a testament of how Mr Sharif has evolved as a national politician. Imran Khan, who earlier refused to meet the Sharifs, also showed maturity by accepting this visit.

Mr Sharif’s brief meeting with Imran Khan sets a new course for post-election politics. After the meeting, the PML-N leader also made encouraging remarks on letting bygones be bygones. Both the PML-N and the PTI would need to work together on the critical issues facing the country and their election rivalry needs to be tempered, now that the time of rhetorical duels is over.

The most important indication of political maturity comes in the form of Mr Sharif’s statement that his party respects the PTI’s mandate in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Pakistan has suffered a great deal on account of undemocratic practices in the past. The previous government respected the PML-N’s mandate in Punjab for five years and this is a healthy precedent that needs to be followed and made part of our unwritten conventions.

The charges of rigging in selected constituencies need to be handled by election tribunals at the earliest and the PTI’s genuine concerns should be allayed. It is hoped that the dangerous confrontation on the streets of Karachi will also be neutralised by adhering to the legal procedures and dialogue between the MQM and the PTI. The country cannot afford confrontation when the new governments should be focusing on public issues.

Unconfirmed media reports speculate that the Saudi Ambassador may have played a role in the Nawaz-Imran rapprochement. If true, then this is a worrying sign for we are letting external powers play an undue role in our domestic affairs. Those who resent the Western influence in Pakistani affairs are usually quiet on the role of such nations. In principle, all such meddling in Pakistan’s domestic affairs is unwarranted and the politicians should avoid it.

Cycle of Death

The continued fighting between militants and troops in tribal areas may not always make the headlines, but it affects the people of these areas badly with heightened conflict breaking out periodically. At a press conference at Parachinar Press Club in Kurram Agency, tribal elders from the agency have said that at least 64 people, including women and children, died of hunger, natural calamities and accidents after fleeing their homes in central Kurram. According to the representatives of various tribes, 12,000 families were forced to leave their homes after militants from Orakzai and Khyber agencies entered and captured villages on May 7, with fierce battles erupting with armed forces personnel a few days later. The militants are understood to have retained control of some areas till now, destroying two schools in the Para Chamkani region and engaging in other acts of destruction.

For the internally displaced persons (IDPs), the situation remains too precarious to return to their homes. Most are said to have moved to lower parts of Kurram or neighbouring agencies, and according to tribal elders, have received little or no help. As a result, there has been death and disease. Representatives of tribes have demanded that basic needs, at the least, be met. They have also spoken of many cattle perishing, threatening future livelihoods even once people return. Attempts by the people of Kurram to draw attention to their plight have gone unnoticed.

These IDPs need humanitarian help. The government must work with local and international agencies to offer this. While resource constraints have been mentioned in the past, this cannot be a reason to allow people caught up in conflict to suffer in this manner. It is a tragedy that the situation of the Kurram IDPs has received virtually no media attention. We have a terrible human tragedy unfolding before us in the agency. It must not be ignored and efforts must be launched immediately to offer help to people forced out of homes and currently exposed to grave dangers and distress.

Lost Humanity

Humanity, and all that goes with it, seems to be slipping rapidly away from us, adding to the brutality that has increasingly come to shape our nation. This is, perhaps, most true in Karachi, where death comes easily and in many forms. The latest victim has been Abdul Waheed, a philanthropist and human rights worker, who was shot dead on May 14 at his medical store in Islamia Colony, Manghopir. His elder brother, with him at the time, lies in critical condition in hospital. His one-year old daughter also suffered a bullet injury.

Mr Waheed, originally from Swat, had been based in Karachi for around 15 years. He had been receiving threats since he condemned the killing of social activist Parween Rehman, with whom he had worked at the Orangi Pilot Project. Ms Rehman was killed in March this year. Mr Waheed himself ran a school, was known as an activist and regularly handed out free medicines from his store. These very factors appear to have resulted in his violent death by unknown assailants, who then fled after detonating an explosive device which created panic in the area. It is quite obvious that the killing was well planned and expertly executed by assassins who removed another good citizen from our midst.

We have lost too many such persons. Only the most evil can, in this fashion, go after those helping others in desperate need. The reality also is that Karachi has turned into a territory run by ruthless mafias. The failure to apprehend these persons, or protect those like Mr Waheed who had been threatened, only emboldens such gangs. Till the culture of crime and murder is eliminated from Karachi, more people will die. This is something we simply cannot afford. We desperately need people like Abdul Waheed and Parween Rehman. The action to eliminate them simply adds to the people’s hardships and proves that we have allowed our largest city to be converted into a jungle from where the rule of law has completely vanished, putting everyone at peril.

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Yes We Can Do It!

(17th May 2013)

Leadership game

Imran Khan’s first steps onto the muddy playing field of big time politics raise some serious questions. In his latest statement, Imran, currently locked in the task of government formation in K-P, has issued a three-day ultimatum to the Election Commission of Pakistan to order recounting in six constituencies. After a meeting of the PTI leadership, these have been identified as NA-57 Attock, NA-110 Sialkot, NA-122 Lahore, NA-125 Lahore, NA-154 Lodhran and NA-239 Karachi. Imran has suggested the voting take place by matching thumbprints on ballot sheets to CNICs — a process that Nadra says is possible, and could help remove doubts — though the question of voter anonymity may rear its head. The PTI chief has warned if this did not happen, the PTI could formally join in the protests currently being staged by supporters on their own.

The point to be raised is this: should a political leader be making threats and issuing ultimatums at all? This does not seem either wise or mature. Also, if the PTI has not called protests, why are sit-ins being staged every day, notably in Lahore? Does Imran not have enough influence over those who back him to control their actions? If he does not, this raises all kinds of questions over his abilities as a leader. The prospect of a party head unable to control his own activists is rather worrying.

There is also a due process to follow. Re-polling has already been ordered by the ECP at around 40 polling stations in NA-250, given the obvious malpractices that took place. In other cases, tribunals are examining complaints made to them. They have 120 days to reach a verdict. Perhaps, the PTI should be waiting for this. It should also note that local and international monitors, including the Human Rights Commission Pakistan and the European Union monitoring team, have declared the 2013 polls free and fair. Given this, Imran should, perhaps, reconsider his position, avoid adopting a threatening tone and instead focus on the challenging task that now lies ahead for his party, which seems likely to head the government in K-P while also assuming the role of a key opposition at the centre.

Tackling measles

Pakistan may face an international travel ban due to its failure to control a measles outbreak. In less than four years, there have already been 25,401 reported cases of measles and at least 146 children have lost their lives due to a disease that could easily have been prevented. Children under the age of five die every year mainly from preventable diseases. As per officials of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Pakistan is one of the top five countries in the world having the highest number of unvaccinated children. It is a sad reflection on Pakistan’s healthcare system, which can really do with an overhaul. The threat of an international travel ban should serve as an eye-opener for the authorities. As it is, the country may face international isolation because Pakistan is not yet polio-free.

Now that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is all set to form a new government, it must adopt a good healthcare policy, address issues at hand, like the measles outbreak and polio vaccination among others, before venturing into anything else. Medical conditions in Pakistan are not promising. We lack in both quality of health care and number of specialised hospitals of international standards. Local healthcare facilities are not equipped to provide good medical care to patients. More budget must be allocated to the health sector; the local healthcare facilities, be they public or private, should be up to international standards and assurances must be given that no malpractices would take place, which can only be done if strict laws pertaining to malpractices are implemented. Corruption is very common in the health sector, including sale of public-sector hospitals’ medicines at drug stores. Unless this pilferage is not stopped, it is not possible to achieve the desired goals vis-a-vis public health in Pakistan. The new government must tackle this situation on a war footing. We cannot afford to lose more children due to the failings of our healthcare system.

Journalistic confidentiality

US President Barack Obama is used to getting flak from the right, but when it comes to the Associated Press (AP) scandal, he’s been at the receiving end of both liberals and right-wingers. At the heart of this affair is what seems to be a steady encroachment by a surveillance state on civil liberties that most Americans take for granted. Ever since the war on terror began, those liberties have been slowly ceded in the name of security. Now, the US Department of Justice has, in a break from its past practices, seized records for more than 20 phone lines assigned to AP journalists in April and May of 2012.

Effectively, this means that the records of outgoing calls of over 100 journalists are now in the hands of the US government. The reason for this unprecedented move is purportedly to uncover a leak that led to information about a CIA operation — aimed at preventing a terror attack — being obtained by AP. While this is being condemned as a violation of basic rights, it is, in fact, not illegal. Thanks to a 2008 revision of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which President Obama backed when he was a senator, telecommunication companies that reveal their phone logs to the government cannot be held liable. Previously, the Department of Justice would have to subpoena a reporter and drag them through long, public hearings in order to get the information they need, but with this revision, they no longer even need to ask.

Moreover, the immunity of telecommunication companies means that the Department of Justice has even greater incentives to ask for such information, knowing that the companies will not hesitate to hand it over. Ultimately, the only check on the abuse of this power is in the hands of the US executive itself, something that does not bode well for the future of electronic privacy in the United States, or the prospects of journalistic confidentiality. In the coming years, the US could be a bad place to be a whistle-blower in.

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Yes We Can Do It!

19.05.2013

Terror trail

The scourge of terror continues. Who knows when it will end, or how. Like Fridays before this, the Friday of May 17 proved to be a bloody one, with blasts at mosques targeting worshippers gathered there to offer prayers on the holiest day of the week. This time the area struck by the ruthless bombers who live among us was the Baz Darra village in the Malakand protected area, where remote controlled explosive devices were placed at two mosques close to each other in the village. The first explosion killed nine persons and injured at least 35 others. As panic and chaos spread through the area, a second blast occurred in a mosque in the same area, this time killing one elderly man. Authorities said most of those present at prayers at the time had gone off to help the victims of the first blast.
The scenes that played out were identical to what we have seen so many times before: hospitals filled with the injured, relatives grieving over the bodies of the dead, floors stained with blood and countless lives lost in a situation that has become too common in our country.
As we have seen before, it is clear too, that this attack was well planned and expertly executed. The militants behind them obviously know their business, and knew all to well what they needed to do in order to inflict maximum terror. This, after all, is their trade; it is what they specialise in, and it appears they intend to continue with this. The change in the political leadership obviously means nothing to them.
So far, all efforts to bring terrorism to any kind of halt have failed. It is obvious the security apparatus has failed. The problem is a gigantic one. It needs to be thought about from many dimensions and angles so that we can find a way of ending the wave of deaths that has continued now for more than a decade and wreaked havoc across our country. It is evident that, for now, the tragedy continues and as a result, no one anywhere can be certain of their safety, even when they are engaged in the peaceful act of worship.

Forgotten fire

Amidst the frenzy and hype surrounding the May 11 election, the fire which broke out at the LDA Plaza, in Lahore, two days before this date and was not fully controlled even 24 hours later, has been virtually forgotten. The many human tragedies that occurred as a result of this blaze have barely been spoken of by a media obsessed by balloting results and figures and even today the precise number of persons killed in the fire is unclear: the figure generally reported stands at about 23; families of victims say it was higher, with up to 40 possibly dead. The cause of the fire is also not clear. The suggestions are that it was caused by short-circuiting in the building’s basement, but it is unclear if this has been investigated, as LDA officials said would happen.
The families of the dead have been handed over one million rupees as compensation. But this, of course, does nothing to ease their agony. Nor does it in any way contribute towards preventing future fires of the kind we saw at the LDA Plaza and before this in many other places in various cities. All these blazes make it quite obvious that we need better safeguards to prevent fires and better infrastructure to put them out. As before, in this case too, rescuers struggled for over a day to bring the inferno under control. People also need to be made aware about how they can best save themselves in case of fire, with drills carried out at workplaces and schools.
It is also not reassuring that this fire occurred at the building of the Authority meant to regulate building laws across Lahore. It is unclear if its own house was in order in terms of the existence of emergency exits and fire extinguishing equipment. This, too, is something to be examined, so that similar disasters can be prevented and greater value placed on human life by ensuring everything possible is done to avert deaths when calamities of this nature do occur. This can best be done by enforcing the rules that exist for this purpose but are rarely ever followed.

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"Nay! man is evidence against himself. Though he puts forth his excuses." Holy Qur'an (75:14-15)

(19th May 2013)

Saluting their courage

The story of a rape victim, *Tasneem, at Jalozai IDP camp is heart-rending. Rape is not uncommon in our country. There are many more Tasneems in this country who are prone to social injustices and have nowhere to go to for the redress of their grievances. In fact, most rape cases go unreported because of the stigma attached to them. Authorities either do not take appropriate action against the rapist or victimise the rape survivors by fielding accusatory questions and/or by simply being insensitive. Those women who do report rape cases have to face further trials and tribulations at the hands of our society.

Unfortunately, our public health sector fails to provide proper physical and psychological treatment to rape victims. Patriarchy leaves girls and women highly vulnerable to being harmed physically, psychologically or sexually by the men in their families and communities. Combating violence against women requires challenging the way that gender roles and power relations are articulated in society, especially in rural areas where women have a low status. They are considered inferior and there is a strong belief that men are superior to them and even own them. The state often lays the blame on our patriarchal, feudal, conservative society but the sad reality is that rapists know full well that, in most cases, they will get away with their horrible crime. It is the responsibility of the state to deal with these sick-minded people.

Given that gender-based violence is so widespread here, the relative lack of empathy towards rape victims is astonishing. We, as a nation, need to respect all rape survivors and salute their courage for living on despite going through physical and mental trauma. Even if bills protecting the rights of women are passed, hardly are they ever adhered to. It is clear that mere laws are not enough to get rid of exploitation, discrimination and oppression of women. It is necessary to overthrow the patriarchal system prevalent in our society to guarantee women full freedom and liberty.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 19th, 2013.

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Yes We Can Do It!