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Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has described the prevailing situation in its Sindh Province as highly dangerous with opposition parties joining hands for massive protests in Karachi, the financial capital of Pakistan. The opposition leadership minces no words when it says that the situation is no different than what it prevailed in East Pakistan before its independence as Bangladesh. This is a very serious charge and one can revert to the circumstances that led to loss of its eastern wing.....more It seems America cannot resist the temptation of interfering in others affairs on petty pretexts. Suddenly, it becomes champion of all religions besides being the super cop. In its report just...more |
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Kashmir is not east timor ! India's own satellite Water crisis COMMENT |
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EDITORIAL Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has described the prevailing situation in its Sindh Province as highly dangerous with opposition parties joining hands for massive protests in Karachi, the financial capital of Pakistan. The opposition leadership minces no words when it says that the situation is no different than what it prevailed in East Pakistan before its independence as Bangladesh. This is a very serious charge and one can revert to the circumstances that led to loss of its eastern wing. First, Pakistan invariably treated East Pak as its colony rather than a province. Second, it siphoned all the returns from natural resources of East Pakistan and utilised the same on W. Punjab. Third, it treated the people as second rate citizens in as much as they had almost nil representation in defence services as also in the Punjabi dominated Central services. Fourth, the people were worse than slaves and women folks in particular were exploited either as concubines or sent to W Pakistan for prostitution and keeps in the guise of domestic helps. Pakistan had also sent a large army of over one lakh, mostly Punjabis that engaged in many tortuous and heinous crimes against the civil population so much so that hapless citizens started calling it an 'army of occupation'. It is in this context that combined opposition charge of having created conditions in Sindh province similar to what prevailed in erstwhile E. Pakistan has to be read. The massive protests being organised by the day speak volumes about the total unrest when Pak armed forced have let loose a reign of terror to silence them. It is appropriate to mention that all Pak opposition parties have joined hands to launch massive movement for ouster of Nawaz Sharif who is being termed as worse than military dictator (Nawaz incidentally is the product of Late Army dictator General Zia-ul-Haq who sent Z A Bhutto to the gallows). Last week Nawaz Sharif had enforced an ordinance which sought to treat even peaceful protestors as terrorists. The ordinance entails creation of special anti-terrorist courts and the punishment prescribed is 7 years RI. But opposition parties have remained undeterred and gone ahead with organising mass protests against misrule of Nawaz Sharif who has brought Pakistan on the brink of bankruptcy besides causing unprecedented humiliation to the country. That Nawaz treats his own people as aliens and uses brutal force and ordinances to persist in his misrule is proof enough that he is no more acceptable to not only people of Sindh province but also citizens of all other provinces who are in virtual revolt. In the above context remarks of prominent frontier province leader Mr Wali Khan are quite pertinent. He was not allowed to enter Karachi to join mass protests and had to return to Islamabad from airport itself. On his return he minced words in accusing Pak Government led by Nawaz Sharif as unfit for ruling the country where its own citizens like him have to obtain 'visa' for entering particular city. Even Pak President Mr Tarar which bears his signatures on the obnoxious anti-terrorist ordinance says that peaceful protest is a fundamental right of every Pakistani as long as it is within the laws of the country. Tarar is a friend of Nawaz Sharif and considered fundamentalist. He has tried to play either way to probably keep the all powerful army at bay. The magnitude of anti-Sharif protests can best be judged in that no less than 6000 leaders and workers of opposition have been arrested in Karachi alone which also includes MPs and MLAs. Such is the extent of terror tactics being deployed by Nawaz Sharif. The massive response to such ongoing protests is the indicator that pitch is being queered for another spell of army dictatorship. It may be mentioned that Pak army is all powerful. It not only controls the ISI of Pakistan but also the nuclear button. Pak Prime Minister and his cabinet just cannot take any vital decision without first consulting the Army Chief or inviting him to the cabinet meets. There is thus three-pronged pressure against Nawaz Sharif. From the protesting and hostile crowds. From the political opposition parties and Mullahs besides the Army which is enjoying Nawaz discomfiture which makes the ground fertile enough for army to plough. It seems America cannot resist the temptation of interfering in others affairs on petty pretexts. Suddenly, it becomes champion of all religions besides being the super cop. In its report just published it has referred to India being unsafe for religious minorities. To push forward its theme based on typical hypothesis, it wanted to despatch special emissary to Delhi for discussing 'religious freedom' in India. Vajpayee has lost no time in showing its anger to such interference in its internal affairs by telling USA that such comments are uncalled for and that question of receiving any emissary is most unwelcome proposition. India has made amply clear that besides being the largest democracy, its totally secular constitutionally and otherwise. Some stray incident here and there has to be treated as isolated ones which are pursued as per the law of the land to bring the culprits to book. But there is neither organised nor persecution of anyone having any religious faith. In fact, it is in India where other religions have flourished more than what its original one happens to be. Freedom of worship is the fundamental right and there is no bar on any religion to be practised or propogated. Just as Muslims are free to have their personal law, Christians enjoy total freedom in spreading message of Christ. It is here in India that even President of India can be from any religion. Fakhru-din Ali Ahmed and Dr Zakir Hussain remained the first citizens of India. Even Chief Justice of India and IAF Chief belonged to other communities. Our defence forces are more secular than any force in the world. It thus does not behove well on the part of USA to meddle into our affairs at a time when tremendous goodwill has been generated in the wake of Kargil conflict. American Administration has clearly mentioned that it would have very exhaustive understanding and cooperation with the new Government that shall be in place in Delhi in October. In fact, America should address to the plight of minorities (Christians and Hindus) in Pakistan. It should also concentrate on Indonesia where hundreds of Christians have been killed. It is just as well that America targets China that refuses to tolerate any religion with large scale persecution and hanging by the day. Above all America can have a peep within and see for itself whether Blacks enjoy the same treat as the whites. It is time that America stops fiddling round with the largest and most secular democracy where religious freedom is more than what it prevails in any other country and where enough of constitutional provisions exist to ensure equality irrespective of religion, faith, community or the creed. |
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Kashmir is
not east timor ! Had United States State Department spokesperson James P. Rubin not underlined the difference, East Timor would have soon found currency in the language of those looking for an opportunity to use the August 30 referendum in East Timor to make a similar, albeit dubious, case for Kashmir. Admittedly Pakistan, along with the secular fundamentalists among the Indian intelligentsia, claims to think that the solution to the "K" problem lies in the Indian Government accepting Kashmir's "different" (read autonomous) status, history, entity, demography, an acceptance which would open doors of prosperity and peace for the Valley overnight. However, contrary to such an opinion, the State Department's pronounciation was clear and intelligible to those who cared to listen. Urging analysts not to "get trapped into facile analogies that don't apply," Mr. Rubin declared that, "Kashmir is not East Timor." Does New Delhi require such declarations and consolations from Washington? Probably not. Kashmir is indeed not East Timor. However, the vote for independence in East Timor has come through a process which New Delhi is not comfortable with, and understandably so. Considering that Pakistan keeps harping on the 1948 UN Resolution that spoke of a referendum in Kashmir, the Indian Government is predictably cagey about its response to East Timor's independence from Indonesia through a similar plebiscite. However, for once, New Delhi has little cause to worry as far as Kashmir and international opinion is concerned. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif may have lost no time in jumping at the East Timor bone to seek self-determination for the Kashmiri people, but try as he may, the international community today is most unwilling to view events in the subcontinent through Pakistan's fundamentalism-tinted glasses. Pakistan's sponsorship of international terrorism was unanimously condemned at a recent UN Security Council debate on Afghanistan where its culpability for the Talibanisation of the region was clearly spelt out. That Pakistan's Inter Service Intelligence saboteurs are active in India's northern and north-eastern region is also widely accepted. In view of such opinion gaining firmer ground each passing day, Pakistan's claim to fight for the self-determination of the Kashmiri people sounds incredible, if not laughable. The merits or otherwise of the referendum in East Timor will only unfold with time considering it was indeed the easiest part of the battle for the now-independent state's people. With violence and bloodbath following that vote for independence, instead of only preceding it, it is an arduous walk ahead for the island state. Peace, a healthy economy, employment, industrialisation, a smooth transition from martial rule to a new authority, are goals that need to be worked towards by the island state designate, in order to truly come of age. Also, the United Nations Assistance Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) will now be required to maintain a peacekeeping force in the island to nurse it back to normalcy. Independence, in fact, is only the beginning of a long struggle towards rebuilding the state for the East Timorese people. As far as India is concerned, for once, the most exacting critics of New Delhi's Kashmir chapter have desisted from using the East Timorese example to pronounce a breakdown of the democratic process in Kashmir. In an unadulterated tribute to Indian democracy, the US State Department spokesperson stated that "India's latest elections are only the most recent example of its dedication to democratic principles". That Mr. Rubin thought it fit to reserve comment on the "legitimacy" or otherwise of the voter turnout in Kashmir, is Washington's manner of conveying to both Pakistan and India the US position on Kashmir. Therefore, despite the Sharif Government's best efforts, no parallels whatsoever can be or will be drawn between East Timor and Kashmir. The Pakistani press and political establishment have predictably latched on to the East Timorese referendum to perpetuate the myth that "pretensions of democracy through elections" is India's way of imprisoning the "hopes and aspirations" of the Kashmiri people. Wonder which "Kashmiri people" Pakistan is talking about? If elections are indeed held under "Indian bayonets" in Kashmir, it is in no small measure due to the terror unleashed by Islamic fundamentalists in the Valley who parade as champions of a cause that does not unite the whole of Kashmir. Facile arguments based on "low voter turnout" are being engaged in by the Pakistani Press and, unfortunately, by some sections of the Indian press, to impress upon the world that democracy is being forced upon the people of Kashmir as a "substitute for plebiscite." An impressive 70 per cent turnout in Ladakh and Kargil is being ignored to highlight a 12 per cent turnout in Srinagar. This, with little acknowledgement of the fact that it is not the lack of will but the overwhelming fear of the gun that keeps the voters in the Valley away from the polling booths. In fact, a low voter turnout in the Valley reflects not the absence of popular will but the feared presence of militants. If at all, the Indian Government can be held accountable for failing to curb Islamic fundamentalist uprising in the Valley, certainly not for curbing the so-called will of the Kashmiri people. If at all, it can be accused of failing to control human rights violations by militants in the Valley, certainly not of indulging in those violations. Despite Pakistan's attempt to use the East Timor case to push its line on Kashmir, the difference between the two situations is only too apparent. Unlike East Timor, which is marked by a predominantly Roman Catholic demographic structure, the Valley is multi-ethnic and multi-religious. At least that is how it used to be before the Hindu Kashmiri pandits were forced to flee the Valley following a systematic ethnic cleansing unleashed upon them by Islamic fundamentalist militants. This minority community has been living a nightmare in exile since the time it was served a 48-hour deadline to vacate the Valley on April 14, 1990. Faced with the trauma of their business establishments closing down, their property vandalised and their women raped and brutalised, Kashmiri Hindus were left with no option to fleeing. Surely neither Pakistan nor its agents who effected this efflux from the Valley can claim that the will of the Kashmiri people is reflected only by those who continue to live in the Valley on terms dictated by separatists and secessionists. Kashmir never was and never can be an Islamic state. Islamisation was forced upon the Valley in violation of its original multi-ethnic and multi-religious composition and culture. In any event, Islamic fundamentalism cannot parade as the will of more than of Kashmir's population comprising the Shias, Ahmediyas, Dard, and Balti Muslims and the Gujjars and Bakerwals who oppose Pakistan-sponsored azadi because of what the Mohajirs, Shias, Hindus and Sikhs continue to face in Pakistan. Surely, if the Indian Government is asked to respect the will of the Kashmiri people, that demand comes with the assumption that the interests of all Kashmiris, and not just a section comprising secessionists, must be respected. Even if the Indian Government were to seriously consider the right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people, it must be based on a representative will, not a selective, fundamentalist one. East Timor, therefore, can never be Kashmir. Being a predominantly Christian state from its inception, unlike Kashmir where Islamisation has been forced, ecclesiastical orders and key powers of the West were bound to support the pro-independence move in East Timor; the same interests do not bind the West to Kashmir. Ridiculous parallels have been drawn by a leading Pakistani daily between Portugal's sustained interests in its erstwhile colony and the British desertion of the Kashmiri people's rights after 1948. Pathological though Pakistan's dependence on international support may have become, it is time it learnt to hold mature consultations with its neighbour instead of bawling without cause or conviction. INAV |
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Water crisis management
in Jammu As soon as the mercury begins to rise, the water scarcity in Jammu and adjoining districts becomes prominent and the crisis, unmanageable for public health Engineering Department. The local dailies almost carry a news item every day regarding the problem. Sometimes the sufferers block roads and highways and sometimes the poor employees of the PHE Dept, face the wrath of the agitated masses. The need of electricity and water in general and in summer in particular cannot for over-emphasized Life can become miserable without these civic facilities. Reasons for Scarcity of water * The consumption increases manifold in summer. * The water supply schemes completed under earlier master plans/plans have outlived their utility on account of population explosion and rational social change. * Irrational and irregular power supply. * Defective pumping sets and inadequate maintenance. * Leakage in pipelines, which remain unchecked. * Existence of old system of stop cocks/valves. * Ill-conceived yearly water supply schemes. * Prevalent lack of co-ordination and co-operation among the employees, manning essential water supply units. * Lack of awareness amongst public for rational use of potable water. Crisis Management It is generally observed that water tankers are pressed into service by the PHE Deptt but the schedule is irregular. There has got be a proper timing for such delivery by tankers, so that the needy public gets drinking water as a routine. Whenever a pumping station or a particular plant falls through, to supply the water, the affected people should be informed through public address system, well in time and the time of delivery by tankers intimated to them simultaneously. This operation must be controlled, coordinated and monitored by the engineer-incharge of the area. I have an experience of being a consumer in Udhampur town, where the supply used to be resumed between 1.00 to 2.00 AM during earlier days of May '94. This system and irregulatory should not be repeated making people to wait sleeplessly, for getting water. The public of particular Area/Zone should be informed about the supply time. It has been observed that sometimes the water supply fails on account of power supply, either abruptly or on account of repairs in grid-stations. This needs a close co-ordination between PDD and PHE departments; so that the general public do not suffer on this account. The PHE department could find ways and means to install diesel generators of suitable capacity at all pumping stations. All defective pump sets should be replaced and the others maintained under strict and sincere supervision of engineers. The leakage caused by pilferage of water, leaking joints and valves need to be checked properly. The leakage besides creating loss of precious water, gives rise to pathogenic bacteria when the pipes are empty. The old and outlived valves and appurtenances need to be changed forthwith. A mass awareness programme needs to be transmitted to the users/consumers by the PHE department through press, radio and TV, depicting various measures to save water and use it rationally. The coordination and cooperation amongst the employees of PHE department, with a human heart is a prime requirement. The dedicated and sincere staff must be rewarded for their outstanding work and it should be made mandatory that there is no strike or dharna by the employees atleast during the days of crisis. Incentives must be given to the deserving staff. This is on record that the department of statistics and planning has castigated a number of PHE Divisions for their ill-conceived schemes. Despite the efforts of the Govt of India to provide potable water to all, by the year 2001 AD and creation of water technology missions, an appreciable number of water scheme though commissioned have failed to serve the purpose. The tanks/reservoirs and kilometers of pipelines do exist but without water. What are the reasons thereof. The sources tapped are not permanent and the pipelines have been laid through villages and are being modified from time to time without caring for the source. The PHE department must identify all such schemes and revalidate them, while creating a vigilance cell to be controlled by the state vigilance department. The divisional heads have to be more sincere while conducting the surveys and formulating the schemes. A concept of accountability for the erring enginers and encouraging dedicated, honest and efficient engineers has to be created, if the water technology mission has to succeed. The design divisions need to be strengthened by posting efficient engineers therein; so that none of the scheme falls through for want of water. The master plans for all cities and towns need to be revised and updated, in view of the population growth and future explosion. The PHE depatment must not go in for any pipe laying process, except for exceptionally crisis areas, at least for two years; but to strengthen resources before putting a water supply scheme/laying of pipes to tender, the department must ensure that the source is permanent and it can not make any loss to the exchequer, besides creating water shortage. It is surprising to note that the cities/towns like Jammu, Udhampur, Akhnoor, Kathua etc. having plenty of water available in the adjoining rivers viz Tawi, Chenab, Beas respectively; the people have to suffer miserably for water. The sources are there, the latest technologies are available, the department has the man power, they ought to mobilize their resources/budgetary allocations for strengthening and augmenting the supply sources, rather than laying the pipes, which remain dry for want of water. |
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COMMENT Judging by the themes with which parties and candidates were pre-occupied during the campaigning for the first two phases of the 1999 Lok Sabha polls. Economic issues did not figure at all in the campaign. Not even in passing. Strangely, or perhaps not so strangely, the tone and temper of the campaign have been determined by the Prime Minister for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), and by Ms Sonia Gandhi for the Congress. Since neither of them has chosen to refer to economic reforms and the implementation of the liberalisation programme, economic issues and polices have not figured in the speeches of other candidates or party leaders. During the first two phases, it seemed that the electoral pre-occupation was with stability, coalition, Article 356, Kargil, and foreigners becoming Prime Minister. No party thought it fit to explain to the voters what liberalisation is all about and how the reforms will benefit the poor in the country – that is, if and when they are primed to benefit the poor. It makes sense for the Government to plead its own case for durability in office, but neither the Congress nor the other Opposition parties have demanded sa commitment from the NDA that the reforms will be invested with a "human face" if it is voted to power. Similarly, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee and his allies have not bothered to ask Ms Sonia Gandhi what measures the Congress will take to reach the benefits of liberalisation to the weaker sections. Both the parties are more obsessed with power. It is not without significance that almost all the parties in India now swear by liberalisation. State Governments vie with each other to attract foreign investment. The election manifestos of various parties have committed themselves to the vigorous continuation of economic reforms. While the economy has undoubtedly been liberalised, the benefits of the reforms have not reached the poor of this country. The weaker sections continue to remain socially and economically backward. During the initial months of the Vajpayee regime, the opening up of the economy in some specific sectors, like insurance, for instance, shook the BJP at the party level. The shake-up and the inter-party differences had their impact on the Government too. In consequence, the ‘swadeshi’ motivations of the BJP and the Government led by it were in national focus for quite a while. Even BJP president, Mr Kushabhau Thakre, had to beat a hasty retreat after failing in his attempt to enforce the party’s ‘swadeshi’ line on some aspects of the official investment policy. The Congress, the two Communist parties and socialist leaders like Mr Chandra Shekhar have been trenchant critics of the Government’s implementation of the economic reforms. It is by now well known that the Vajpayee Government and its predecessors have thrown caution to the winds in deploying the country’s precious foreign exchange for importing luxury articles like Italian furniture and shoes, and French bath fittings, and consumer perishables from butter and cheese to soft drinks and chocolates. While the aspirations of the spoor have been raised without any prospect of their fulfilment, the possessors of what is called ‘Number Two’ money have been having a field day. While this is one aspect of liberalisation, there is another aspect which is equally important. Day after day, we are being told of the "impressive upward swing" in the Sensex. Most national dailies have begun the week with the speculation that the Sensex figure may cross the 5000 mark in the next few days , or before the Lok Sabha elections are over. In the absence of any increase in industrial demand, any substantial improvement in industrial production, a near-stagnation in sales and turn-overs, it is intriguing why stock prices should fluctuate so erratically as to cause "impressive upward swing" in the Sensex. The Government has been a mute spectator to the rise and fall in the indices. It is obviously enjoying itself as if the artificial boosting of the Sensex is good fun and of no relevance to the State of our economy. However, artificially created booms invariably ends in real disasters. It is legitimate to wonder, why our political class is indifferent to the so-called stock market boom. Will it wake up only after the crash, which is bound to come, if the incoming Government is unable to steady the Sensex at a realistic level ? The same question can be asked in respect of yet another equally "impressive" phenomenon for which our caretaker Government is taking full credit. It concerns the rate of inflation which has touched the lowest figure—less than two per cent – in five decades. Economists state that the computation of the inflation rates is unrealistic since weightage is given to articles which no one buys or which are lowly priced. They also tell you that high inflation rates are not always worrisome if they are sustained by fast development activities, whereas low inflation rates always testify to a developmental standstill. However, the Vajpayee Government has been projecting the low inflation rate as a distinct economic achievement. |
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