The question of leadership

The following article  “The question of leadership” by Salman Abid, source “The News-Sunday, January 02, 2011”.

 

Politicians, it seems, are not hesitant in exposing themselves one more time.

The question whether Pakistan’s leaders believe in democratic values and practices is perhaps not very difficult to answer, especially after the recent no-holds-barred fight between politicians from the PML-N and MQM, we now know quite well. The gap between leaders, workers and common people is widening by every day passing and all of them seem to be living a life in isolation.

In the backdrop of WikiLeaks, the credibility of our political and military leadership is being discussed seriously in the country and outside. Not one political and military leader has denied the stories of WikiLeaks .On the contrary, they are trying to justify their own actions. Most of the people do not have any doubt about the role of our leaders.

The information disclosed by WikiLeaks is not new because mostly people are aware of the American role in our politics. The alarming and shocking news was the role of United State’s ambassador in the political management through discussion and consultation with our government and state representatives and political and military leaders, all following diligently the guidelines form the United State. These notes actually reflect our real leadership’s character, where they stand to defend democratic norms and values.

Unfortunately, the military regimes, especially that of General Ziaul Haq and his de-politicisation agenda created negative implications for our political process. We can criticise political leaders for their strategies and actions but by no means should we challenge their political commitment for change. The larger political movements of political activists over the few decades in the country brought change and that was remarkable.

Political dynamics of the day are based on power politics. Most of leaders seem to have lost belief in mass mobilization and people’s empowerment and have developed strong linkages with the establishment forces. WikiLeaks, similarly, reflects actions of our major political and others forces.

The whole political scenario from 2006 to 2010 proves that both national and international ‘establishment forces’ as we may call them, wield real power in politics. Our political leadership’s role, some argue, is only to facilitate and accept their dictated agenda. No real resistance, it has been observed by some critics, has come from political forces against dictatorship and international interventions.

Issue-based politics and leadership role is to strengthen each other and create space to work together. But what we are doing is totally opposite as some of our leaders are just focusing on their own agenda and personal interests at the expense of national interests.

Unfortunately, in the past, our leadership has come through the backdoor and not through the political process and people’s support. Since the political parties are weak and anyone can intervene easily within their framework, the threat is not only from internal forces but also from external forces’ intervention and the intention of capturing the decision-making process of political parties.

It’s very easy to criticise the external forces and ignore the question why we are allowing them space? We should openly admit the major crises that we presently have. Since our political system is largely based on individuals, and not on political institutions, our leadership is not accountable at any stage. Our leadership knows very well where the ‘intervention’ can be utilized to getting support. When a leadership behaves in undemocratic manner then obviously it affects the whole party and its structure.

Another vital question is how our political leadership can be held accountable? If the leadership comes with public and party support then we can achieve something in a better way. The intelligentsia can play a very significant role in democratisation of the society. Here, again, the major problem is that some of our intellectuals are affiliated with some individuals and their party and do not openly criticise undemocratic attitude and behaviours due to favouritism and personal interest. This does not augur well at a time when the country faces serious crises in the shape of the war on terror, bad governance, poor economic situation, and social and economic disparities, etc. As a nation, we expect from our leadership and their agenda to be based on peoples’ needs. Unfortunately, there are some who justify the current leadership role and their actions. They insist the practice of politics and their realties are different as compared to the bookish knowledge of politics in academic discourse.

The popular leadership has played its cards well for getting into the corridors of power like MQM and JUI, with the government and state forces. At this critical juncture, we need to insist politics and their leadership should be fair, accountable, transparent, and behave according to democratic norms. These values are very important and without these we cannot strengthen the democratic leadership in the country. So, we should be able to come out of the game of power politics and challenge the current practices of leadership in the name of democracy. One thing that also needs to be realized is the role of the political workers in the country to evaluate the internal leadership crisis and then re-define their own role in politics.

The writer is a political analyst and human rights campaigner. He can be reached at salmanabidpk@gmail.com

Link: http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/jan2011-weekly/nos-02-01-2011/pol1.htm#8

 

US brings students from small towns in Pakistan

Source: Dawn

Date: December 31, 2010

WASHINGTON, Dec 30: As part of its efforts to improve bilateral understanding, the US has launched one of its largest ever students exchange programmes with Pakistan, a senior US official said on Thursday.

“To give a chance to Pakistani students to learn more about the US and Americans to learn more about Pakistan and Pakistanis,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Alina Romanowski while explaining the motive behind the arrangement.

“The purpose is to build human bridges between our two countries and to encourage face to face communication.”

As many as 100 undergraduate students from Pakistan will spend a semester in US educational institutions this year under the Global Undergraduate Exchange Programme in Pakistan. Although they all have to return home after the semester, they will be encouraged to apply for further studies in the United States.

The US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, in coordination with a partner organisation, IREX, will host an arrival orientation for 50 of these students in Washington from Jan 3-6, 2011.

Launched in fall 2010, Global UGRAD-Pakistan provides a substantive exchange experience at a US college or university to a diverse group of 100 emerging student leaders from underrepresented sectors in Pakistan.

Responding to a question from an Indian journalist, Ms Romanowski said the students were not screened to ensure if there were `wahabis` among them or if they had `a terrorist mentality`, as the journalist had suggested. “We are not screening students for their religious orientation or affiliation.”

For more details: http://www.dawn.com/2010/12/31/us-brings-students-from-small-towns-in-pakistan.html

 

 

Women Protection Act: Top Islamic court rules against law

Source: Express Tribune

Date: December 30, 2010

The government on Wednesday decided to challenge in the Supreme Court a Federal Shariat Court’s(FSC) judgment declaring some clauses of the Protection of Women Act-2006 as “violative of the Constitution.”

“We will move the Shariat Appellate Bench of the Supreme Court for the suspension of today’s ruling,” a law ministry official told The Express Tribune, requesting anonymity.

“Sections 11 and 28 of the Protection of Women Act-2006 are hereby declared ultra vires to Article 203DD of the constitution because these provisions annulled the overriding effect of the Hudood Ordinance-1979,” FSC Chief Justice Agha Rafiq Ahmed Khan, who was heading the three-member bench, said in the ruling.

Referring to its jurisdiction, the FSC verdict said that “no legislative instrument can control, regulate or amend this jurisdiction which was mandated in Chapter 3A of Part VII of the constitution of Pakistan.”

Aslam Ghumman, Shahid Orakzai, Abdul Latif Sufi and Mian Abdul Razzaq Aamir had filed identical petitions in the FSC challenging various sections of the Protection of Women Act-2006 and the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

The judgment has sparked a constitutional debate on the FSC’s powers to rule on the constitutionality of any law.

Former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association Qazi Anwer told The Express Tribune that the Federal Shariat Court has no constitutional authority to declare any

law as against the constitution.

For more details: http://tribune.com.pk/story/93167/shariat-court-terms-women-protection-act-clauses-repugnant/

 

 

Middle class in Balochistan the suffering lot (Organized by SPO)

Source: Dawn

Date: December 29, 2010

ISLAMABAD, Dec 28: Speakers have blamed the troika of militants, Sardars and government for suppressing the middle class in Balochistan.

They were speaking at the roundtable forum on ‘Peace and Human Development’ arranged by Strengthening Participatory Organisation (SPO) here on Tuesday.

The speakers, coming from all provinces, said Pakistan was utilising more resources on security paradigm than on human development.

Senator Dr Abdul Malik said Balochistan was backward because of the collusion of local politicians with the ruling class to maintain a status quo, adding that there was a need to shift the current paradigm from security state to human security to achieve Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

“The current insurgency in Balochistan is a result of deprivations of the last 63 years and the only solution lies in accepting the legitimate demands,” he added.

Director of Area Study Centre, University of Peshawar, Dr Sarfraz said terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) had a deep-rooted impact on the achievement of MDGs.“When schools are bombed, students are threatened to join seminaries and women are prohibited from getting education, it becomes impossible to achieve the targets of MDGs,” he said.

“The thought process that has traditionally been independent in KP is curtailed now, and this will harm the quality of education in seats of higher learning in the province,” Dr Sarfraz said.

Abrar Kazi presented the perspective of Sindh and said being a postcolonial state Pakistan was entangled in ideological, religious and nationalist conflict.

He said the violent conflict in Sindh was rooted in ethnicity and attributed this situation to the failure of institutions.

He told participants that tribal feuds, jirgas and ransom in the inner parts of Sindh had brought economic development to a standstill.

Former chief economist Dr Pervez Tahir said the objective of security in the country was always the state and never human security.

Shedding light on performance of MDGs vis-à-vis Pakistan’s performance, he claimed that Pakistan was far away from achieving the targets.

“In education and health, expenditure is lower now than what it was in 2001, but on defence and military expenditure had increased manifold,”Dr Tahir said.

Educationist Dr Rubina Sehgal stressed the need to look more into militancy in Punjab as it provided 50 per cent of the jihadi workforce.

Speaking on the impact of conflict/terrorism on women in Pakistan, she provided historical overview of the conflict in which civilians remained largely immune to wars.

Senator Hasil Bizenjo said: “Our politics is based on secularism but secular parties do not openly go against the Federal Shariat Court.” Military and mullah are doing whatever they like, he added.

Link: http://epaper.dawn.com/ArticleText.aspx?article=29_12_2010_153_003

 

 

 

Achieving Development Goals: Human Security Comes First (Organized by SPO)

Source: Express Tribune

Date: December 29, 2010

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are unlikely to be achieved under the prevalent economic and security circumstances, agreed speakers at a roundtable discussion held on Tuesday.

The Round Table Forum on Peace and Human Development was arranged by Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO). The speakers stressed the need for a paradigm shift from state-centered security to human- centered security if the MDGs are to be achieved.

Speaking on the conflict in Balochistan, Senator Dr Abdul Malik said, “ The current insurgency in Balochistan is the result of deprivation of the last 63 years and the only solution is to accept legitimate demands.” He blamed the alleged collusion between militants, sardars and the government for stifling the middle class in Balochistan.

Sharing the views  on terrorism and its impact on the achievement of MDGs in Khyber Pakhtunkhaw, Director Area Study Centre University of Peshawar Dr Sarfraz commented, “ When schools are bombed, students coerced to join seminars and women prohibited from getting educated, it is impossible to achieve the targets of MDGs”.

Presenting the perspective of Sindh, Abrar Kazi said, “ Being a postcolonial state, Pakistan is entangled in ideological, religious and nationalist conflicts. The violent conflict in Sindh is rooted in ethnicity”.

He attributed  this situation to the failure of institutions.

Eminent educationist Dr Rubina Sehgal stressed the need to look more into militancy in Punjab. She provided a historical overview of conflicts in which most civilians remained sheltered from war, but added that this was no longer the case. She attributed the militarization of society to the military’s involvement in social affairs.

Former Chief Economist Dr Parvez Tahir observed that Pakistan’s education and health expenditure is lower than it was in 2001, while government expenditure on defence has increased manifold. He said that the work of 50 years has to be completed in five years, remaining sceptical about the achievement of MDGs.

Former minister and writer Javed Jabbar shared his observation that there are four kinds of wars: physical, psychological, ideological and anti human development. He phrased the current violence by religious militants as a war of obscurantists against human development.

 

 

Creating awareness: Lots to show for Rs285m, but not in work

Source: Express Tribune

Date: December 28, 2010

ISLAMABAD: The Privatisation Commission has spent Rs285 million on its publicity campaign over the past 17 months, which is five times the size of its entire budget for the current year, The Express Tribune has learnt.

Sources within the commission said this expense had been incurred since August 2009, with the monthly average coming to Rs17.8 million.

The expenditure had been made under the pretext of an advertising campaign for the Benazir Employees Stock Option Scheme (Besos), city branding and a flood relief campaign. A part of this amount was used for Besos publicity but most of it was spent on the campaign related to floods.

Railways Minister Ghulam Ahmad Bilour aptly remarked that the money spent on publicity could have bought the Railways nine locomotives as the cost of manufacturing one engine is Rs30 million.

The money belongs to the Privatisation Fund, which is pooled by deducting two per cent of the proceeds from privatising public sector entities. This fund can only be utilised to meet expenses specific to the privatisation process. Since 1991, Pakistan has privatised 167 entities worth Rs476.5 billion.

Senior officials from the Privatisation Commission confirmed that Rs285 million had been spent but none of them was willing to speak on record due to a possible  “backlash from certain quarters”. They all said that the management was in a fix over how to deal with the issue. However, one of the officials said that the Besos campaign did fall under privatisation-specific spending.

For more details: http://tribune.com.pk/story/95808/creating-awareness-lots-to-show-for-rs285m-but-not-in-work/

Anti-polio target unmet as 2010 draws to close

Source: Dawn

Date: December 27, 2010

KARACHI, Dec 26: Despite tall claims made and targets set by national and provincial immunisation functionaries as well as local and foreign health managers, the spread of polio in Sindh as in other provinces of the country could not be halted even this year.

Planners of anti-polio campaigns are now pinning all their hopes on the “National Emergency Action Plan 2011”, which is being finalised on a directive of President Asif Ali Zardari.

With 136 polio cases reported in 2010, Pakistan is one of the only three Asian countries, the other two being India and Afghanistan, where polio is endemic.

However, the convenience of postponement of deadlines in the “knock out polio game” has never come as a surprise during the 16 years of polio eradication activities in the country.

The irony of the entire child inoculation during the years is that nobody — right from foreign experts to volunteer vaccinators — is ready to learn from mistakes and reach at least their own-set goals.

Mass vaccination with a “trivalent” form of the vaccine aimed at all three viral subtypes helped reduce the number of countries with endemic polio from 125 in 1988 to four in 2010.

In April 2003, country representative of the World Health Organisation Dr Azmoudeh stated that Pakistan was likely to achieve the status of a polio-free country by the end of that year.

Similar hopes were pinned on immunisation campaigns in 2005. Since then, the provincial government, international health organisations and the NGOs working in the province for the eradication of polio have been claiming that the “coming year will be a polio-free year” in Sindh. According to experts, things were achievable as the province of Sindh in no way underwent a situation of having inaccessible localities such as the strife-hit areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and federally administered tribal areas (Fata).

However, the year of much-awaited achievement has never come. The gravity of the situation can be understood from the fact that polio cases has increased by 117 per cent this year as compared to last year.

Polio that afflicts children mainly under five is caused by a virus that invades the nervous system and can cause total paralysis or death. The anti-polio oral vaccine works by infecting children with a benign form of polio and giving them immunity to the virulent strain.

As per official figures, this year has witnessed a six-year high number of polio cases. Of the total 26 new cases, 12 cases were reported in Ghotki, three each in Karachi and Kambar, two each in Sanghar and Khairpur, and one each in Jacobabad, Hyderabad, Kashmore and Sukkur.

The year`s first case of polio in Sindh was reported in January, following which no case was reported till the mid of August. However, with the beginning of the high-risk months (August to November), the number of polio cases started climbing almost every week. At present, the figure is just two short to equal 28 cases, which were reported in 2004.

For more details: http://www.dawn.com/2010/12/27/anti-polio-target-unmet-as-2010-draws-to-close.html