| January 30, 2002 | Wednesday | Ziqa’ad 15, 1422 |
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Hockey: hopes revived
Roads to progress
THE World Bank’s advice to the government, contained in its interim poverty assessment report, to narrow the wide social gap to alleviate poverty and to contain the huge domestic and foreign debt burden has come at a time when Pakistan is being flooded with promises and offers of generous international assistance for its social sectors, especially for health and education. Presented the other day to the Pakistan Human Development Forum, the report rightly points out that the country’s current predicament is not rooted in a discrete set of policies amenable to rapid rectification, but in structural factors linked to issues of governance. So, learning from the past mistakes and improving its governance capacity, the country can and should make the best of concessional assistance that is being made available to it by the international community in the post-September 11 period. There can be no two opinions about the fact that lack of accountability, and inadequate participation of the grassroots recipients in the process of development are the two most important factors at the heart of many of the difficulties being encountered in mitigating poverty and broadening access to social services in Pakistan. The report is right in stressing that neither debt reform nor the mere availability of donor funds is likely to solve these problems. In fact, Pakistan has received many rounds of debt rescheduling in the past and most of the funds made available to it between the 1950s and 1980s were highly concessional in nature and yet the country remains in the grip of massive poverty and social deprivations.
The findings of the WB report on rural economy, education and health give an indication of the enormity of the work that lies ahead. Improving productivity and reducing poverty and vulnerability in the rural region would require considerable widening of access to land, credit, infrastructure, particularly water, as well as expansion of opportunities in the non-farm sector. The report pleads for a reappraisal of land reforms in Pakistan as the previous reforms had remained largely ineffective, and indeed are seen to be hurting many marginal farmers. Tenancy still persists in about 70 per cent of the cropped area in Sindh, which, according to the WB report, is characterized by strong entrenched feudal dominance. In light of the failure of formal banking institutions in rural finance, improving access to credit is expected to require both encouragement and expansion of the role of NGOs and micro credit institutions.
In regard to the extension of water provision and irrigation, the report has very rightly suggested rationalization of the delivery system, increasing public investment and management of land and water resources and creation of an environment which encourages private on-farm investment and the rational and equitable use of rural resources, involving substantial community organization and participation. With respect to health and education, the report has very pertinently pointed out that better outcome in enrolment, lowering of infant and child mortality and better maternal health are all linked to the provision of facilities and services within easy accessibility of the community. So, in order to improve the status of human development in Pakistan, a substantial increase in the availability of the requisite facilities, free from the institutional failures and deficiencies of the past, is what is needed.
PAKISTAN, which used to be the leading hockey team in the past, went through a barren spell during the last few years after the significant success in the Azlan Shah tournament. As such, the recent triumph in the six-nation tournament — once again in Malaysia — is a real morale-booster. It is considered all the more promising and timely in the context of the forthcoming World Cup. With the final phase of preparation, due for the big event next month, the understandable euphoria of the moment should give way to unsparing self-assessment by the planners and managers. The first and foremost point to note is that a ranking international competition is totally different from other such encounters. Most of the participants use the latter games as exploratory exercises trying new talent and technique. But somehow we chose to treat them as opportunities for restoring our prestige against the backdrop of recent reverses. The Kuala Lumpur victory might have lifted our sagging spirits and shattered confidence but it should be taken only as a sound base to build on and not something to gloat over. In view of the tough draw with Germany and Australia, the coming challenge is likely to be formidable. While the former did not participate in the previous tournament, the latter conceded finally by the narrowest margin to give a foretaste of the coming trials. Without disregarding the positive gain that ‘peaking’ at this crucial stage signifies, the undeniable potential and power of the opponents must not be underestimated.
Pakistan’s coach Hanif deserves credit for coming up with some innovative ideas and path-breaking strategies. The most notable change in formation that largely neutralized the penalty corner advantage that the hard-hitting Europeans and Australians exploited to keep our teams under pressure, could, if maintained, tilt the proceedings in favour of Pakistan. Another important gain was the wingers’ contribution that considerably enhanced the efficacy of the forwards. The Shahbaz-Kashif combination clicked very well, but the performance of Sohail Abbas was below par, perhaps because of the new turf. Luckily this educative experience, as Hanif pointed out, will go a long way to help our boys in the World Cup outing. While counting our gains we should not forget the strong points of the opponents. Assuming equality in other departments, their vastly superior physical fitness is a factor to reckon with. Besides, their schemes
to counter the strategy of
the rivals cannot be overlooked while preparing our plan. Undoubtedly we have every reason to be hopeful but even more than that, to be careful.
THE Northern Areas Development Project is currently engaged in a road building effort in some of the most inaccessible parts of the country. If work on these projects is completed, many formerly isolated areas will open up, bringing innumerable benefits to the local people. A sum of Rs1.25 billion will be spent to build these roads, with the UNDP, the IFAD and the Government of Pakistan footing the bill. Apart from connecting remote areas, such as Diamer, to the main Karakoram Highway, the network of roads will also provide alternative routes to certain areas that are periodically prone to being cut off from the rest of the country. For example, the road connecting the Babusar Pass in the Kaghan Valley to Chilas in the Northern Areas could serve as an alternative to the KKH during such closures.
Another road, between Chilas and Thack Nallah, will similarly offer a safer alternative route into the Neelum Valley in Azad Kashmir, and will ease the plight of those who are stranded when there is heavy firing across the LoC. However, there is a very real risk of environmental damage as illegal logging activity in previously untouched forests becomes more feasible with easier access. In addition, the scenic beauty of the area could spur unrestrained and irresponsible tourism, which could degrade many pristine areas. While the road building programme must be lauded, the authorities and conservation NGOs must ensure that the areas opening up are not ravaged by the more negative aspects of development that have blighted similar areas in the past.