Sarfraz Ali
Federal Minister for Environment Hameed Ullah Jan Afridi disclosed that the more than one billion people of developing countries were victims of desertification affects, like Pakistan.
He said this while inaugurating the inception workshop on sustainable land management to combat desertification in Pakistan. He said it is expected that problems of land degradation and desertification will aggravate further due to looming threats of global warming and climate change.
He said the impact of these threats is already being felt in Pakistan with issues like scarcity of water and retreat of our main glaciers in the north.
This link between climate change and land degradation is likely to undermine our efforts to achieve sustainable development in the country, he said, adding it is, therefore, imperative to take appropriate measures which contribute to both combating desertification and adaptation to climate change.
He said that poverty is the main driving force that triggers the process of desertification and at the same time poverty is the consequence of desertification. Therefore, sustainable management of the land and water resources is vital for our economic development, food security and alleviating poverty from rural areas.
It should remain the focus of our national policies and planning. This ill help in addressing root causes of desertification and maintaining ecological integrity of our dry lands.
He said that the workshop is a platform and opportunity for all stakeholders to have a common understanding of goal, objectives and interventions being taken under this important Project.
He said that the present Government attaches great importance to environmental issues, including land degradation and desertification.
The launch of SLMP will help in implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, mainstreaming National Action Programme, and sustainable land management into national policies and plans.
He reaffirmed the commitment to bring land degradation issues at the forefront of national debate, ensuring that sustainable land management is mainstreamed into sectoral policies.
The Minister apprised that Ministry of Environment is also celebrating 2009 as The National Year of Environment with the primary objective of bringing environment issues at the forefront of public debate and advocacy with a view to find home grown solutions to environmental challenges, including land degradation and desertification.
He expressed the hope that workshop and implementation of the SLMP will help us to foster a better understanding of the causes of land degradation and desertification and develop a road map for long-term programmatic approach to address these challenges. He said that the magnitude of land degradation problems is too vast and the Federal Government alone cannot afford the costs of combating desertification. Therefore, the Ministry looks forward to having cooperation from provincial governments, donors, NGOs, and of course local communities in our efforts to address these problems.
He appreciated the UNDP and Global Environment Facility (GEF) for their technical and financial support for the SLMP and continued assistance for designing the Phase-II of the Project.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Fast degradation of environment posing big threat to Pakistan
By SARFRAZ ALI
National Forum on Environment and Health (NFEH) of Pakistan showed great concern over the fast degradation of environment especially in big cities like Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad in the past 12 years, which inflicted huge losses to the economy posed threat to resources.
In a "fact sheet on environment protection" issued by NFEH, revealed that environment was on least priority of political leadership due to lack of political will and pressure from the influential.
President NFEH M Naeem Qureshi alleged that despite manifold increase in the budget of the Environment Ministry, rising from Rs50 million to Rs345 million in the last four years, and the foreign funded environment projects, no significant improvement has been witnessed in atmospheric and marine pollution.
Quoting a report, he said that public transport contributes nearly 70 to the environment pollution in all big cities including Karachi. The level of carbon dioxide is higher by 13 percent of the normal level of 0.79 percent of 100 milligrams. This included the presence of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and other particles.
Major contributors are thick smoke emitting public transport vehicles and emission from industries.
Although, Pakistan introduced National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS) in 1997 for enforcement in next ten years, the progress remained very slow and implementation has been less 10 percent in industrial units.
Environmental pollution has reached an alarming level in large cities of Pakistan due to rising number of vehicles on the roads.
Nearly 1.7 million vehicles in Karachi and over 3.6 million vehicles in the country are plying on the roads, of which 30 percent are not fit for plying on the roads as they discharge thick smoke with half-burnt fuel.
It is surprising that despite the orders of Sindh High Court against thick smoke emitting buses, no action has been taken so far. Among them, obsolete models of buses, taxis and rickshaw of 50s and 60s are the major contributors to the rising level of pollution in big cities.
City District Government Karachi has been talking of introducing CNG buses in Karachi. But this project has not moved beyond talks despite the fact that the previous government had approved a fund in its last days as payment of customs duty on the import of CNG bus by the private sector. So far no infrastructure has been created to facilitate plying of CNG buses in the city.
The Environment Policy was approved by the federal cabinet in July 2005 with the aim to reduce environment pollution by creating awareness among masses. But no progress has been made so far in this regard.
According to the report of World Health Organization (WHO), more than 30,000 people are dying every year of pollution related diseases like asthma, lung cancer and bronchitis, ENT and mental disorders.
It is all the more alarming that about 9,000 tons of chemical, oil and industrial effluent is being discharged in the Arabian Sea, which has polluted marine life up to 20 nautical miles.
Similarly, only 5,000 metric tons of total 8,000 tons of solid waste, generated in Karachi is disposed off property while rest is either dumped in localities of burnt in open space.
Ship breaking industry in Gadani is also polluting the sea through its chemical, metal and effluent without any check.
According to reports workers are being killed due to pollution, but their deaths are covered up by the management of the yard.
President NFEH M Naeem Qureshi has appealed the government to implement Environment Policy in letter and spirit in consultation with all stakeholders including representative bodies.
We urge the government to maintain EPAs with sufficient technical staff and they should have latest laboratories and analytical equipment and apparatus to check pollution levels. They should work in consultation with all stakeholders including industries, representative trade and industry bodies.
At the same time NEQS should be implemented to reduce level of pollution.
Environmental Tribunals should be more active.
Performance of EPAs must be monitored and their heads should be replaced with technical and professional persons.
We also appeal the authorities implement the long pending "mass transit system" in all major cities.
In addition, all public transport buses, taxis, rickshaws and heavy-duty trucks should be converted to CNG or LPG.
We also urged the administration to immediate stop mangrove cutting along coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan.
Previous government had introduced a clean drinking water program at cost of Rs3 billion to install water purification plants in every locality. Most of them are non-functional. We demand an inquiry into alleged embezzlement of this fund.
The government must encourage alternate energy projects including solar, wind and small dams to reduce dependence on thermal power generation and overcome energy crisis in the country.
National Forum on Environment and Health (NFEH) of Pakistan showed great concern over the fast degradation of environment especially in big cities like Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad in the past 12 years, which inflicted huge losses to the economy posed threat to resources.
In a "fact sheet on environment protection" issued by NFEH, revealed that environment was on least priority of political leadership due to lack of political will and pressure from the influential.
President NFEH M Naeem Qureshi alleged that despite manifold increase in the budget of the Environment Ministry, rising from Rs50 million to Rs345 million in the last four years, and the foreign funded environment projects, no significant improvement has been witnessed in atmospheric and marine pollution.
Quoting a report, he said that public transport contributes nearly 70 to the environment pollution in all big cities including Karachi. The level of carbon dioxide is higher by 13 percent of the normal level of 0.79 percent of 100 milligrams. This included the presence of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and other particles.
Major contributors are thick smoke emitting public transport vehicles and emission from industries.
Although, Pakistan introduced National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS) in 1997 for enforcement in next ten years, the progress remained very slow and implementation has been less 10 percent in industrial units.
Environmental pollution has reached an alarming level in large cities of Pakistan due to rising number of vehicles on the roads.
Nearly 1.7 million vehicles in Karachi and over 3.6 million vehicles in the country are plying on the roads, of which 30 percent are not fit for plying on the roads as they discharge thick smoke with half-burnt fuel.
It is surprising that despite the orders of Sindh High Court against thick smoke emitting buses, no action has been taken so far. Among them, obsolete models of buses, taxis and rickshaw of 50s and 60s are the major contributors to the rising level of pollution in big cities.
City District Government Karachi has been talking of introducing CNG buses in Karachi. But this project has not moved beyond talks despite the fact that the previous government had approved a fund in its last days as payment of customs duty on the import of CNG bus by the private sector. So far no infrastructure has been created to facilitate plying of CNG buses in the city.
The Environment Policy was approved by the federal cabinet in July 2005 with the aim to reduce environment pollution by creating awareness among masses. But no progress has been made so far in this regard.
According to the report of World Health Organization (WHO), more than 30,000 people are dying every year of pollution related diseases like asthma, lung cancer and bronchitis, ENT and mental disorders.
It is all the more alarming that about 9,000 tons of chemical, oil and industrial effluent is being discharged in the Arabian Sea, which has polluted marine life up to 20 nautical miles.
Similarly, only 5,000 metric tons of total 8,000 tons of solid waste, generated in Karachi is disposed off property while rest is either dumped in localities of burnt in open space.
Ship breaking industry in Gadani is also polluting the sea through its chemical, metal and effluent without any check.
According to reports workers are being killed due to pollution, but their deaths are covered up by the management of the yard.
President NFEH M Naeem Qureshi has appealed the government to implement Environment Policy in letter and spirit in consultation with all stakeholders including representative bodies.
We urge the government to maintain EPAs with sufficient technical staff and they should have latest laboratories and analytical equipment and apparatus to check pollution levels. They should work in consultation with all stakeholders including industries, representative trade and industry bodies.
At the same time NEQS should be implemented to reduce level of pollution.
Environmental Tribunals should be more active.
Performance of EPAs must be monitored and their heads should be replaced with technical and professional persons.
We also appeal the authorities implement the long pending "mass transit system" in all major cities.
In addition, all public transport buses, taxis, rickshaws and heavy-duty trucks should be converted to CNG or LPG.
We also urged the administration to immediate stop mangrove cutting along coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan.
Previous government had introduced a clean drinking water program at cost of Rs3 billion to install water purification plants in every locality. Most of them are non-functional. We demand an inquiry into alleged embezzlement of this fund.
The government must encourage alternate energy projects including solar, wind and small dams to reduce dependence on thermal power generation and overcome energy crisis in the country.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
WWF-Pak seeks global help to combat climate change
SARFRAZ ALI
LAHORE - Rapid and meteoric alternations in the environment of the world has assumed a magnitude of Himalayan dimensions due to global warming and the entire global community has, though belatedly, joined hands to put a halt to this menace that could seriously endanger the existence of life on this planet.
The unrestricted use of hydrocarbons is rightly considered one of the major factors responsible in creating, shaping and multiplying this monster that is posing an existential threat to the humanity as a whole.
In its recent report, World Wildlife Fund Pakistan chapter, WWF-Pakistan, has termed the rapid climate change as one of the most critical challenges of the modern age. It has said that concerns are being expressed in both developed as well as the developing countries regarding disastrous climate change that are causing global warming throughout the world including Pakistan.
The geophysical features and location of Pakistan make it more vulnerable to the devastating impacts of global warming such as micro-climatic changes, increased cyclones, droughts, sea water intrusion, heavy rains, glacial melts, etc. Apart from these, climate change has such destructive impacts on the human livelihood that may take us by surprise, the report stated.
The Indus River is critical for Pakistan's 170 million people, and irrigates 80% of its 21.5 million of agricultural land. The Indus river delta is a highly productive area for freshwater fauna and an important region for water birds. The Indus River is extremely sensitive to climate change because 60 -70 % of its flow is derived from the Himalayan glaciers. Since temperature controls the rate of glacier melt, which in turn provides more water in warm years and less water in cool years. With global warming, many glaciers will no longer exist to moderate the flow of these rivers. Thus communities which depend on glacier water will face more severe water shortages, variability and potentially greater flooding too.
WWF - Pakistan as country's largest environmental organization strongly believes that Pakistan urgently needs to prepare for the impacts of climate change on freshwater resources and to develop mitigation and adaptation plans by building the institutional capacity to address climate change and water security at the provincial and district (local) level, looking at both maintaining the flow of the Indus and adaptation in particularly vulnerable sites in Pakistan. Addressing climate change in Pakistan will also mean enabling people in particular the most vulnerable and poor, to adapt to changes in water availability.
It is essential that the global community work together to implement emissions reductions. WWF is working to strengthen the ability of developing countries, such as Pakistan to effectively participate in and foster the implementation of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) by mobilising relevant and influential stakeholder groups in key countries.
In addition, WWF is implementing a programme to ensure public and private investments in developing countries in the Asia/Pacific region to: support the objectives of the FCCC, support technology transfer, climate change mitigation and impacts awareness raising in Asian developing countries, and create a process of developing country participation in the FCCC process. These efforts involve export credit agency reform to promote clean investment, and strengthening the clean development mechanism to support low-emission technologies.
LAHORE - Rapid and meteoric alternations in the environment of the world has assumed a magnitude of Himalayan dimensions due to global warming and the entire global community has, though belatedly, joined hands to put a halt to this menace that could seriously endanger the existence of life on this planet.
The unrestricted use of hydrocarbons is rightly considered one of the major factors responsible in creating, shaping and multiplying this monster that is posing an existential threat to the humanity as a whole.
In its recent report, World Wildlife Fund Pakistan chapter, WWF-Pakistan, has termed the rapid climate change as one of the most critical challenges of the modern age. It has said that concerns are being expressed in both developed as well as the developing countries regarding disastrous climate change that are causing global warming throughout the world including Pakistan.
The geophysical features and location of Pakistan make it more vulnerable to the devastating impacts of global warming such as micro-climatic changes, increased cyclones, droughts, sea water intrusion, heavy rains, glacial melts, etc. Apart from these, climate change has such destructive impacts on the human livelihood that may take us by surprise, the report stated.
The Indus River is critical for Pakistan's 170 million people, and irrigates 80% of its 21.5 million of agricultural land. The Indus river delta is a highly productive area for freshwater fauna and an important region for water birds. The Indus River is extremely sensitive to climate change because 60 -70 % of its flow is derived from the Himalayan glaciers. Since temperature controls the rate of glacier melt, which in turn provides more water in warm years and less water in cool years. With global warming, many glaciers will no longer exist to moderate the flow of these rivers. Thus communities which depend on glacier water will face more severe water shortages, variability and potentially greater flooding too.
WWF - Pakistan as country's largest environmental organization strongly believes that Pakistan urgently needs to prepare for the impacts of climate change on freshwater resources and to develop mitigation and adaptation plans by building the institutional capacity to address climate change and water security at the provincial and district (local) level, looking at both maintaining the flow of the Indus and adaptation in particularly vulnerable sites in Pakistan. Addressing climate change in Pakistan will also mean enabling people in particular the most vulnerable and poor, to adapt to changes in water availability.
It is essential that the global community work together to implement emissions reductions. WWF is working to strengthen the ability of developing countries, such as Pakistan to effectively participate in and foster the implementation of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) by mobilising relevant and influential stakeholder groups in key countries.
In addition, WWF is implementing a programme to ensure public and private investments in developing countries in the Asia/Pacific region to: support the objectives of the FCCC, support technology transfer, climate change mitigation and impacts awareness raising in Asian developing countries, and create a process of developing country participation in the FCCC process. These efforts involve export credit agency reform to promote clean investment, and strengthening the clean development mechanism to support low-emission technologies.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
WEF report links countries' progress with hi-tech co-ord
Sarfraz Ali
Islamabad, March 26th - The World Economic Forum today released its 8th annual Global Information Technology Report 2009. The Report gauges a country's connectedness in the global environment through its Information and
Communication Technology infrastructure. It compares participating countries on a range of Information and Communication Technology proxies and variables, which are considered to be the key enablers of economic and social progress, growth and productivity. This year's Report has in particular focused on how information and communication technology, and networked readiness have fostered innovation.
The Global Information Technology Report has followed the ICT revolution and evolution over the years. ICT has encouraged transparency in government processes and improved countries' efficiency and services to citizens. This year, Pakistan ranked 98th out of 134 countries, which is indicative of a weak information and communication technology base. It was a drop of nine spots from last year's ranking of 89 out of 127 countries. In order to improve its network connectedness, Pakistan should invest more in ICT infrastructure, related services and more broadly, innovation.
Some of Pakistan's other competitive disadvantages identified by the Report are the absence of adequate competition in the market place (112), unnecessarily long procedures to enforce a contract (119), extremely low expenditure on education (119) and equally low enrollment in tertiary education (114). Significant drops were seen in spending on R&D from 72nd spot to 86th this year, Government prioritization of ICT from 38th to 57th, and a staggering drop in the quality of education system from 85th to 104th.
The Information and Communication Technology Report's rankings are based on the Networked Readiness Index which measures the likelihood that countries will exploit the opportunities offered by Information and Communication Technology services. It tries to comprehend the impact of ICT on the competitiveness of nations. The NRI is a composite of three components; the environment of ICT offered by a country's government; the readiness of governments, businesses and individuals to use ICT; finally, usage of ICT among these three stakeholders. Pakistan ranked 112 in the environment component, 101 in the readiness component and 92 in usage component indicating that although the environment and infrastructure are not properly delivered, but the usage is still pretty good.
According to this year's Global Information Technology Report, Denmark, Sweden, and United States secured the top three ranks respectively, further consolidating the fact that they have the most solid information and communication technology base. Switzerland dropped two spots to 5th, and was replaced by USA in the 3rd rank. Singapore climbed up to the 4th rank from 5th and Iceland climbed up one spot to 7th from 8th. This year, Canada entered the top ten slot ranking 10th, whereas last year it was at 13th. Norway dropped two spots to number 10th from 8th.
The Competitiveness Support Fund is a joint venture of the Ministry of Finance, Government of Pakistan, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), established to reposition Pakistan's economy on a more global footing.
USAID's support for CSF is part of the $2.8 billion aid that the U.S. Government has provided to Pakistan since 2002 to improve economic growth, education, health, and governance and to reconstruct the earthquake-affected areas.
Islamabad, March 26th - The World Economic Forum today released its 8th annual Global Information Technology Report 2009. The Report gauges a country's connectedness in the global environment through its Information and
Communication Technology infrastructure. It compares participating countries on a range of Information and Communication Technology proxies and variables, which are considered to be the key enablers of economic and social progress, growth and productivity. This year's Report has in particular focused on how information and communication technology, and networked readiness have fostered innovation.
The Global Information Technology Report has followed the ICT revolution and evolution over the years. ICT has encouraged transparency in government processes and improved countries' efficiency and services to citizens. This year, Pakistan ranked 98th out of 134 countries, which is indicative of a weak information and communication technology base. It was a drop of nine spots from last year's ranking of 89 out of 127 countries. In order to improve its network connectedness, Pakistan should invest more in ICT infrastructure, related services and more broadly, innovation.
Some of Pakistan's other competitive disadvantages identified by the Report are the absence of adequate competition in the market place (112), unnecessarily long procedures to enforce a contract (119), extremely low expenditure on education (119) and equally low enrollment in tertiary education (114). Significant drops were seen in spending on R&D from 72nd spot to 86th this year, Government prioritization of ICT from 38th to 57th, and a staggering drop in the quality of education system from 85th to 104th.
The Information and Communication Technology Report's rankings are based on the Networked Readiness Index which measures the likelihood that countries will exploit the opportunities offered by Information and Communication Technology services. It tries to comprehend the impact of ICT on the competitiveness of nations. The NRI is a composite of three components; the environment of ICT offered by a country's government; the readiness of governments, businesses and individuals to use ICT; finally, usage of ICT among these three stakeholders. Pakistan ranked 112 in the environment component, 101 in the readiness component and 92 in usage component indicating that although the environment and infrastructure are not properly delivered, but the usage is still pretty good.
According to this year's Global Information Technology Report, Denmark, Sweden, and United States secured the top three ranks respectively, further consolidating the fact that they have the most solid information and communication technology base. Switzerland dropped two spots to 5th, and was replaced by USA in the 3rd rank. Singapore climbed up to the 4th rank from 5th and Iceland climbed up one spot to 7th from 8th. This year, Canada entered the top ten slot ranking 10th, whereas last year it was at 13th. Norway dropped two spots to number 10th from 8th.
The Competitiveness Support Fund is a joint venture of the Ministry of Finance, Government of Pakistan, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), established to reposition Pakistan's economy on a more global footing.
USAID's support for CSF is part of the $2.8 billion aid that the U.S. Government has provided to Pakistan since 2002 to improve economic growth, education, health, and governance and to reconstruct the earthquake-affected areas.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Lost in Translation
Sarfraz Ali
Few days back I happened to I spend two days at district jail Gujrat, not because I was a journalist but owing to my relations with a close friend of mine. At about 1:30 am I got off the bus. Apparently I tried to look confident, as all the rickshaw drivers wanted me to board their vehicle. Their apparent reason of interest was not a secret for me. But to who should I go was a difficult option. Anyhow, I moved towards a rickshaw, which was standing at a little distance. I bargained with the driver but he made me surrender just for two things, his poverty and hatred for President Musharraf.
Soon I was running fast sitting inside the mini-cab Baboo Ge' why are you going to jail at this hour of night, the driver asked me with such innocence as if I was going to the Paradise. My friend is jail superintendent here I replied from the back. Really Baboo Ge! His wonder was profound. Perhaps he could never think of such a relation. After this short conversation a pause ensued. The two-stroke vehicle pierced through silence. The night too was lying pregnant to beget a new day. All the streets were under my deep observation being the city an old kingdom of the former chief minister. Every sight was desened except the billboards used during the last election campaign. One hoarding appeared so mighty that the whole city seemed to be under its shadow. A giant sitting on it pretending to be the Quaid-like leader was giving a conspiratorial smile. Probably challenging us both, would you get the judges re1nstated Remember, I am stifling connection with the man in strong boots. The driver just looked towards him with fierce eyes. The whole blood rose to the veins of his retina and he was burning in anger. Another sign bcard carrying the picture of ever-eloquent speaker and former prime minister made me giggle. I could remember ZA Bhutto's speech where he had torn into pieces the resolution in the Security Council. One making the world leaders fears of his words and the state he was ruling, the other making sure that people could just understand him. One leader known worldwide because of his versatile dressing, the other doing press conference wearing dark glasses at mid night. My God! By whom we have been being ruled over the last many years. Another unique feature of this politician, which hits me hard, is his fluency in speaking. Over the years different races, especially in our region have been facing problems of accent and intonation while talking in target language. But this man is facing the same problem even speaking in Punjabi. As far Urdu Is concerned, he is helpless. Suppose BBC or CNN correspondent talking to him live, my goodness! An interesting experience for non-native speakers around the world. But being a politician he too has got a mind to escape from such mind-boggling embarrassments. I daily wait seeing him during a press conference on some English news channel. Would he ever expose himself to the public seems a difficult question.
Lo and behold another board reading, 'Parha Likha Punjab'. I laughed out of my ribs. Thought of THAT speaker was still haunting me. Did this slogan benefit him a bit expecting something good out of it for a common man was just a sheer foolishness? In fact it was an election campaign launched with farsightedness by the short-sighted politicians. Messages and pictures of two exsaviours of Pakistan inscribed on every textbook was In fact an idea being given to the next generation. The poor people having no bread and shelter took it as the blessing of God whereby they were provided free books and milk packs too. Who were to be provided with the milk but who got fat and healthy is another story for this I am not blaming the saviours; it was between the teachers and the taught.
Billboard? Yes, it was hoisted at the middle of the chowk heralding some ones slogan or ideology. Some eight to ten heavy tube lights were actively engaged in making the motto cleat~ But alas! All such awareness at the cost of two lives in city as per day because of scorching heat. Are Chaudhrys themselves educated?
Another signboard was feeling light having the portrait of a young politician. Saviour of yours and mine! He might be educated in appearance but as far as the Ideology Is concerned he too Is traditionalist like his forefathers.
This clan lost badly in the polls that too in their own kingdom. Imagine power of the ruler and the ruled! How foolish the clever people are the driver commented. We concluded the same. That was what I was convinced of while hiring the rickshaw.
After a short but noisy distance, the hue and cry came to an end. Like many others, I too disliked presidents rozgar scheme owing to the quality of the livelihood being provided to the poor.
I knocked at the big door installed in the wall of the district jail. An old, thin and starved policeman appeared from behind the door. His shank was hardly able to support his weak body. Dressed in grungy uniform, he was exhausted to a skeleton. His bullet less gun was far heavier than his body. Doesnt this credit go to Chudhrys Surely it does.
The article was published in Sunday Plus (TheNation) on June 22,2008
Few days back I happened to I spend two days at district jail Gujrat, not because I was a journalist but owing to my relations with a close friend of mine. At about 1:30 am I got off the bus. Apparently I tried to look confident, as all the rickshaw drivers wanted me to board their vehicle. Their apparent reason of interest was not a secret for me. But to who should I go was a difficult option. Anyhow, I moved towards a rickshaw, which was standing at a little distance. I bargained with the driver but he made me surrender just for two things, his poverty and hatred for President Musharraf.
Soon I was running fast sitting inside the mini-cab Baboo Ge' why are you going to jail at this hour of night, the driver asked me with such innocence as if I was going to the Paradise. My friend is jail superintendent here I replied from the back. Really Baboo Ge! His wonder was profound. Perhaps he could never think of such a relation. After this short conversation a pause ensued. The two-stroke vehicle pierced through silence. The night too was lying pregnant to beget a new day. All the streets were under my deep observation being the city an old kingdom of the former chief minister. Every sight was desened except the billboards used during the last election campaign. One hoarding appeared so mighty that the whole city seemed to be under its shadow. A giant sitting on it pretending to be the Quaid-like leader was giving a conspiratorial smile. Probably challenging us both, would you get the judges re1nstated Remember, I am stifling connection with the man in strong boots. The driver just looked towards him with fierce eyes. The whole blood rose to the veins of his retina and he was burning in anger. Another sign bcard carrying the picture of ever-eloquent speaker and former prime minister made me giggle. I could remember ZA Bhutto's speech where he had torn into pieces the resolution in the Security Council. One making the world leaders fears of his words and the state he was ruling, the other making sure that people could just understand him. One leader known worldwide because of his versatile dressing, the other doing press conference wearing dark glasses at mid night. My God! By whom we have been being ruled over the last many years. Another unique feature of this politician, which hits me hard, is his fluency in speaking. Over the years different races, especially in our region have been facing problems of accent and intonation while talking in target language. But this man is facing the same problem even speaking in Punjabi. As far Urdu Is concerned, he is helpless. Suppose BBC or CNN correspondent talking to him live, my goodness! An interesting experience for non-native speakers around the world. But being a politician he too has got a mind to escape from such mind-boggling embarrassments. I daily wait seeing him during a press conference on some English news channel. Would he ever expose himself to the public seems a difficult question.
Lo and behold another board reading, 'Parha Likha Punjab'. I laughed out of my ribs. Thought of THAT speaker was still haunting me. Did this slogan benefit him a bit expecting something good out of it for a common man was just a sheer foolishness? In fact it was an election campaign launched with farsightedness by the short-sighted politicians. Messages and pictures of two exsaviours of Pakistan inscribed on every textbook was In fact an idea being given to the next generation. The poor people having no bread and shelter took it as the blessing of God whereby they were provided free books and milk packs too. Who were to be provided with the milk but who got fat and healthy is another story for this I am not blaming the saviours; it was between the teachers and the taught.
Billboard? Yes, it was hoisted at the middle of the chowk heralding some ones slogan or ideology. Some eight to ten heavy tube lights were actively engaged in making the motto cleat~ But alas! All such awareness at the cost of two lives in city as per day because of scorching heat. Are Chaudhrys themselves educated?
Another signboard was feeling light having the portrait of a young politician. Saviour of yours and mine! He might be educated in appearance but as far as the Ideology Is concerned he too Is traditionalist like his forefathers.
This clan lost badly in the polls that too in their own kingdom. Imagine power of the ruler and the ruled! How foolish the clever people are the driver commented. We concluded the same. That was what I was convinced of while hiring the rickshaw.
After a short but noisy distance, the hue and cry came to an end. Like many others, I too disliked presidents rozgar scheme owing to the quality of the livelihood being provided to the poor.
I knocked at the big door installed in the wall of the district jail. An old, thin and starved policeman appeared from behind the door. His shank was hardly able to support his weak body. Dressed in grungy uniform, he was exhausted to a skeleton. His bullet less gun was far heavier than his body. Doesnt this credit go to Chudhrys Surely it does.
The article was published in Sunday Plus (TheNation) on June 22,2008
Monday, March 23, 2009
Violence threatens journalists in South Asia: CPJ
MANILA - Journalists in South Asia face 'severe risks' amid escalating violence in the region, the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said in a report released in the Philippines Monday.
Attacks on media workers in Sri Lanka and Pakistan have increased and four other countries in the region -- Afghanistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and India -- also qualified for the CPJ's "impunity index."
The index, launched last year, lists countries where journalists are routinely killed or attacked and where governments have failed to solve the crimes.
"South Asian journalists face particularly severe risks. The region's nations make up nearly half of CPJ's index," said the report, released in Manila to mark the fourth anniversary of the murder of Marlene Esperat, a local journalist killed for reporting on official corruption.
Iraq, Sierra Leone and Somalia topped the list for the second year running, with a total of 103 journalists killed since 1999.
But the CPJ said there had been a surge of violence in Sri Lanka, including the fatal stabbing of a television cameraman, as the government battles the separatist Tamil Tiger rebels.
Journalists in Pakistan meanwhile are under threat from militant and criminal religious organisations, while political groups frequently attack media workers in Nepal, it said. "We're distressed to see justice worsen in places such as Sri Lanka and Pakistan," said Joel Simon, CPJ's executive director. "Our findings indicate that the failure to solve journalists' murders perpetuates further violence against the press."
"We call on the Philippine government to take the hard steps needed to gain convictions," said Elisabeth Witchell, CPJ's campaign coordinator, adding that government should assign special prosecutors and move trials in safer venues.
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