The New Nation - Internet Edition

Controlling price hike

PRICES of some essential commodities already very high have reportedly increased further in different degrees last week. According to reports, prices of poultry, vegetables, meat, egg and fish showed an upward trend in the city markets. Broiler poultry birds, sold at Taka 70-75 per kilogram just a few days ago, was selling at Tk 105-120 showing an increase of some 50-60 percent. Prices of the local species of poultry also showed a substantial increase. Vegetables, produced abundantly during the winter and supposed to sell cheaper, are also not out of spiralling trend. Fish prices also increased by Tk 20 to Tk 50 per kg. Onion and garlic are costlier Beef and mutton are even more costly.

Traders in the city kitchen markets blamed short supply of essential items for the present rise in prices. According to them, election holidays hampered supply of commodities. But such arguments do not seem to be based on solid grounds. During winter there is no scarcity of vegetables. Commercial cultivation of vegetables has increased manifold. The supply system is also quite developed. Dishonesty of a section of the traders and middlemen to make extra profit seems to be the main cause behind the price trends.

People have suffered immeasurably due to galloping prices in the immediate past. Their ordeal is yet to end. Poor people had to spend major part of their income and savings to meet bare necessities for survival. A large number of marginal people seem to have slid down below the poverty line. They can no more afford price escalation. The new government is pledge-bound to bring down prices. They will have to identify the reasons behind the unusual price spiral and take steps to immediately arrest it.

Improving Dhaka's water supply

ACCORDING to Dhaka WASA statistics, the daily demand for water in the city is about 2,100 million litres whereas the actual amount supplied by it is nearly 1,600 million litres. There is thus a wide gap between demand and supply. Crisis of water is experienced in different areas of the city, particularly the old city. In this backdrop, there are also concerns about the depletion of the ground water level in the city.

The pavement of nearly 80 per cent of the land in the city that prevents percolation of rainwater into the ground and excessive abstraction of water is linked to this phenomenon. Besides, further pumping out of water from the already much lowered aquifer would worsen land subsidence risks in the city and make it more vulnerable to earthquakes. Therefore, the more viable and safe option to increase water supply in the city would be large-scale use of surface water.

The first phase of the Saidabad water treatment plant using the water of the Sitalakhya river was commissioned adding to the total supply of water. But no other project has been taken up since then to further increase water supply. The second phase of implementation of the Saidabad project has been awaiting the conclusion of successful negotiations. Two other major projects for drawing waters from the Padma to supply Dhaka city are also awaiting negotiations with donors. However, while pursuing the options some points are also to be considered. All the rivers flowing past Dhaka are seen as getting more and more polluted by the unregulated drainage of all kinds of effluents into them. It is an imperative to take steps to keep the rivers clean to use their waters for drinking.

Are Pakistani leaders out of sync?

Asif Haroon Raja

As a consequence to the military coming down heavily upon the militants from last July onwards and inflicting heavy casualties upon them, it has given heart to the otherwise reluctant locals to raise lashkars and help the army in ousting the miscreants and Taliban from respective agencies. So far 11 lashkars are operating in various tribal agencies and settled areas for self-protection. Emergence of lashkars is a welcome development provided it is on voluntary basis and not politically motivated. Notwithstanding the merits of lashkars, they are not the solution to the problem and could become double-edged in the long run. With the intensification of military operations, incidents of suicide attacks have also gained momentum.

In the ongoing operation in Swat and Bajaur for over four months, casualties of militants are being announced on daily basis. Notwithstanding the claims made, we will have to admit that all the regions that had been subdued have got reactivated with even greater vengeance. It cannot be denied that in the current bloody duels in which the army is making maximum use of tanks, artillery guns, choppers and jetfighters, lot of property is getting destroyed, innocent people getting killed resulting in more displacements and resentment among the tribals. Their frustration multiplies when they learn that the criminals, anti-state elements or foreign militants usually get away. It is only now that few RAW agents have been caught.

In the last 5 years about 12000 lives have been lost at the hands of terrorists. In spite of so much human and material losses, the majority is still convinced that ongoing anarchy and bloodshed is the handiwork of foreign powers to achieve their sinister objectives. They refuse to buy government's contention that the Taliban are the enemies of Pakistan. They feel that militancy could have been controlled long time back had there not been foreign hands involved and our so-called friends under the garb of friendship stabbing us in the back. They say that as long as the miscreants and foreign sponsored militants continue to receive funds and arms from outside sources and foreign agents reinforce them physically, fire of militancy will continue to burn with intensity. They ask that after having nabbed foreign agents, why the government is still befriending those who are destabilizing Pakistan.

Whereas the people are demanding unshackling of American over arching influence over Pakistan's affairs, our leaders are in no mood to oblige them. Rather, they have agreed to further increase their presence. US trainers are in Pakistan to train our commandos in Tarbela and Frontier Constabulary troops in Warsak. Reportedly a large piece of land near Tarbela has been sold to USA for constructing a military base. Although the news has been denied, the fact remains that Adm. Mike Mullen is on record having stated that a US base will be established at Tarbela to train Pak troops and to take part in operations in tribal areas. Earlier on, Condoleezza Rice had admitted that the US did have a plan to secure Pakistan's nuclear assets. It may be recalled that USA has already made several contingency plans how to secure our nuclear assets under various scenarios. Its military has conducted number of war games in this regard.

Zardari has paled Musharraf into insignificance the way he is going about appeasing USA and India at the cost of Pakistan's interests. While he is hurling one weird statement after another to please his mentors, his loyal ministers enjoying pleasures of power are going bonkers to defend his unpalatable acts and describing his black deeds as great successes. From September onwards the US drones have consistently attacked suspected targets in Waziristan including one ground operation by US marines in Angoor Adda. Our leaders remained mute to start with but after listening to barrage of taunts, they picked up some courage to protest half-heartedly. Failing to restrain drone attacks despite assurances from Bush and Adm. Mullen, Zardari stated in Washington that these incursions were being made with due permission of Pakistan. Washington Post revealed that Zardari had assured Pentagon that his government would only launch mild protests for the consumption of public and nothing more.

To please his mentors in USA during his last visit in September, he said that he will suck the oxygen out of the militants and declared that Pakistan is at war. On ground there was neither any change in the lifestyle of our rulers nor any steps taken to show to the people that we are living under abnormal conditions. They continue to indulge in all sorts of pleasures of life as in peacetime.

While the whole country has begun to sink under the weight of fast dwindling economy, uncertain political situation, lawlessness, bleak security situation because of which the country has reached the brink of default, our leaders are least worried and are taking things lightly. There is no sense of urgency or anxiety as to how the multiplying problems will be tackled. Ten months have lapsed and so far not a single worthwhile initiative has been taken to alleviate the sufferings of the people. Even now when India has created war hysteria and is making all sorts of threats, our leaders refuse to abandon the policy of appeasement or to become serious.

American and Indian centric policies together with rampant corruption, pomp and show, vulgarity and obscenity, and anti-Islam policies have led to heightening of militancy and suicide attacks. While our rulers joined by elites are working hard to convince all and sundry that the ongoing war is not American but our own war and must be collectively fought to save the country, the ones who have given this theme to sing are talking of dialogue and peace in Afghanistan. Hamid Karzai is repeatedly extending olive branch to Mullah Omar to return to country and assured him guaranteed security.

British Brig Mark Carleton Smith in Afghanistan conceded to London Sunday Times that it is not possible to win the war against Taliban and that without political settlement with them insurgency could not be ended. He opined that insurgency can be controlled but cannot be defeated and that victory against the Taliban is wishful thinking. UN special Envoy Kai Eide said that Afghan war cannot be won militarily and success is possible only through political means, including dialogue with militants. Others from western capitals have shared their feelings reiterating that war in Afghanistan is un-winnable. Saudi Arabia is trying hard to broker peace talks to end bloody conflict. Mullah Omar has now expressed his willingness to share power subject to announcement of foreign troops withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Despite consensus resolution passed by the parliament on how to confront various challenges meaningfully our out of sync leaders took no action on the resolution. Policy of use of force against the militants is continuing in spite of the fact that friends and foes have been clearly identified in the ongoing tension with India in the wake of Mumbai attacks. India encouraged by its partners is in full mood to carry out surgical strikes against targets inside Pakistan to compliment drone attacks from western side. Despite India, USA and UK having removed mask of friendship and adopted a bellicose posture against Pakistan and the militants pledging to fight the Indians alongside Pak army, our leaders are still calling the former as friends and the latter enemies. When the militants decided to disrupt Nato road supply to force USA to stop drone attacks against innocent citizens of Waziristan, another operation has been launched in Khyber Agency to ensure continuation of road supply. Either our rulers are party to the sinister game or are out of sync.

(The writer is a defence and political analyst. Email: ah.raja @yahoo.com)

The Chance that was never offered

Maria Waqar

Like most Pakistanis, I too have an opinion about Benazir Bhutto. But unlike other viewpoints, my thoughts are definitely not a woeful panegyric to the former premier's untimely death, which occurred exactly a year ago today.

My perspective is rooted in personal experiences of the kid who grew up in a family that obsessively supported Benazir Bhutto and her Pakistan People's Party, but still became a vehement critic of her political manoeuvres as an adult. I vividly recall the politically exciting times of the early 1990s. My Bhutto-loving family used to ever so intently watch the broadcast of election results on those old fashioned televisions. All sorts of chants, supportive of Benazir Bhutto, would intermittently precipitate from our living room during those all-nighters: "Jiye Bhutto!" (Long live Bhutto!) "Benazir agayee medaaan mein!" (Benazir has entered the battlefield!).

For the poor masses, Benazir Bhutto aka BB was someone who would live up to her father's famous slogan of "roti, kapra or makan" (food, clothes and housing). But my upper middle-class relatives were in awe of the Oxford-educated woman's immaculate English and her Western deportment and mannerisms. For them, she was the good looking, liberal memsahib, who at a young age had suffered the loss of her father and persecution by the vicious militarised state.

As national polls became a common routine in Pakistan - four parliamentary elections happened within a span of eight years- my family members became more and more politically fervent. They didn't just vote for her; they even voluntarily campaigned for her party. And just as charity ought to begin at home, so did their campaigns. The rooms at our place and the cars we drove would be speckled with promotional stickers and PPP flags.

They stood by her even when things seemed particularly bleak for Pakistan's first female Prime Minister. The beleaguered BB got sacked twice, once barely two years after her party came into power and the second time by her own party's President. But those adamant kin of mine were perpetual apologists for her. "The military is conspiring to not let her complete her term!" my mother would say.

The political musical chairs between BB and her political rival, Nawaz Sharif's governments came to an end when General Musharraf launched a military coup in 1999. Like a typical military man, he promised a return to democracy but the people of his country knew better. So did my disgruntled relatives. Benazir Bhutto, lived in self-imposed exile in Dubai to avoid facing charges against her back while her husband languished in Adiala Jail as a political prisoner.

After the sham polls of 2002, PPP emerged as the largest opposition in the parliament. BB rejected President Musharraf's political bargain to let party enter a ruling coalition with the military-backed Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-e-Azam) which would then elect Makhdoum Amin Fahim, the Chairman of PPP in Bhutto's absence as the Prime Minister. As far as she was concerned, there could not be any other Prime Minister except her. My folks obviously agreed. "BB is BB. Amin Fahim can't take her place!" they said.

I was not in agreement with them though. As an opinionated university student, I became increasingly critical of BB. For all her liberal talk, her government played a big role in creating the menace of the Taleban. ?And despite her I-have-been-persecuted-by-the- state rhetoric, she was ever willing to compromise with the same generals, bureaucrats and intelligence officers who supposedly harassed her.

Yet my folks had a justification for all my well-reasoned criticism. "She's hardly had a fair chance to stay in power!" was the explanation that usually came my way.

Soon the years rolled by and the long-awaited polls initially scheduled for 2007 were fast approaching. The country battered by terrorism and economic deterioration again saw a beacon of hope as the country prepared itself for another encounter with democracy.

It seemed like time had reverted back to the early 1990s.Those green-red-black PPP campaign stickers adorned the walls of every room at our residence.

Yet, it was not only my family that was struck by the Bhutto mania. A crowd of historic proportions thronged Karachi airport to welcome her when she arrived in Pakistan after spending seven years in exile. Just one glance at the overwhelming crowd, was enough to tell that PPP was going to sweep the elections and Benazir Bhutto was a sure shot Prime Minister.

But things drastically changed. On December 27, exactly a year ago, Benazir Bhutto succumbed to a gruesome act of terrorism. She too, like her father and brothers, died before her time. Although she had her fair share of detractors, I can safely say that at least on the day of her death every Pakistani was her supporter, including me.

"They just never gave her a chance.." whispered my teary-eyed mother after hearing the shocking news of her assassination. I had heard her and many other relatives say that before.

But this time when she uttered those words, I realised how imperfect politicians in the Third World ascend to the pedestal of heroism after their death. It is perhaps because they are never given a proper chance to prove themselves in their life time. The rhetoric and charisma of populist politicians, like Benazir Bhutto, are always larger than life.

However, many such leaders become the target of political machinations, violence and terrorism and seldom enjoy a stable period of power. Consequently, their rhetoric and suffering is what ultimately defines them instead of their turbulent political careers.

Benazir Bhutto probably herself believed she was capable of a lot more than she had been given the opportunity to do. She too was hunting for that chance which would bring her back to power for a full-term, although she was aware of the risks involved.

Nevertheless, the move to return to Pakistan which ultimately cost her life, elevated her to a status of a national idol who will never be banished to the backyard of history. Her promises albeit unfulfilled shall remain alive in the consciousness of her supporters. They will forever look for her legacy -- her words, her passion, her aura -- in her family, whether it is her husband, her son or her daughters.