| February 4, 2002 | Monday | Ziqa’ad 20, 1422 |
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Upswing in kidnappings
Premium on mediocrity
THE absence of modern modes of transport is one of the major anomalies of urban life in Pakistan. Three of the principal cities — Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi-Islamabad — are a sorry spectacle from the point of view of commuting involving misery and hardships to which millions of the citizens are subjected daily. Our reason for focusing on this subject yet again is because of a newspaper report that speaks of a possible revival of the Karachi Circular Railway project. This is nothing new, for the project has been revived many times on paper — only to be shelved or abandoned unceremoniously. The latest report says that, if all goes well, the KCR may start functioning partially in about one and a half years time. Given the fate of previous such plans and promises, one can only keep one’s fingers crossed.
The KCR revival idea came to the fore following the abandonment of the Karachi mass transit system with its elevated rails. The unilateral abandonment was a violation of an international agreement to which the federal government, local and foreign firms, and Japanese, Saudi and Canadian donors were parties. Even the money had been provided for, and all that was needed was the political will to see the project through. But that, alas, was not to be. The situation in Lahore is no better. Plans have long existed for a mass transit system for this city, whose population has grown from slightly over half a million in 1947 to six million today. Yet no government had the vision and the will to give the city a modern and comfortable transport system worthy of Punjab’s capital. There indeed are plans for a mass transit system for Lahore, too, and we have had occasion to comment on it. But it remains to be seen whether the project will ever see the light of day. The construction of an elevated track between Chungi Amar Sidhu and Data Darbar and of the ring road has remained suspended since May 1998 because of Japanese sanctions in the wake of the nuclear tests. The sanctions have since been lifted, but there is no sign that the government is serious about getting the project revived.
The pity is that Islamabad, too, lacks a mass transit plan, even though the construction of a system will not involve the colossal dislocation that will be inevitable in Karachi and Lahore. In fact, given its open spaces there is still time for the government to think in terms of an elevated or underground railway system for the burgeoning twin cities. Instead, one notes with regret the government’s apathy toward the issue. Even the plan to extend the railway line from Rawalpindi to Islamabad has been cancelled, and the people continue to rely on wagons for transportation.
The problem is both the planners’ myopia and the political leaders’ lack of will. Both groups have failed to realize the impact which the quality of transport has on work and productivity. The issue concerns millions of people daily. Like water and electricity, transport is a basic need, and the government owes it to the people to provide it. Lack of funding, environmental concerns and non-feasibility are handy excuses for the official indifference to this genuine need. Now that we have elected governments in the cities, one hopes they will be able to raise their voices on this vital issue and make those who matter realize the importance of mass transit systems for Pakistani cities.
REPORTS indicate an alarming increase in kidnapping for ransom cases in Punjab. The provincial metropolis, long in the grip of crime, has witnessed many such incidents over the past few years. The most hair-raising of these was the recent kidnapping of two minor sons of a property dealer from Lahore Cantonment by dacoits. Although the children were later recovered, it was probably the first time that dacoits had also taken away family members after looting a house. Indicative of the rising graph of kidnapping incidents is the fact that 69 such cases were reported last year and 43 a year earlier. The first 25 days of the current year saw five people, including three minor boys, being kidnapped in four different incidents. Of them, a nine-year-old boy has already been killed in Jhang after a 24-hour captivity, which is what has caused great concern about the fate of the latest victims of this heinous crime.
What is significant is that many such incidents go unreported for fear of inviting the kidnappers’ wrath, which suggests that the menace may be much more serious than is realized. Many incidents have ended on a tragic note because of the failure of the victims’ families to meet the kidnappers’ demands. Many kidnapping incidents involving businessmen seem to have been well-planned. The alleged pioneer of kidnapping for ransom in Punjab, who made the headlines when he kidnapped an industrialist four years ago, is currently said to be living in the US.
Success in tracking down the culprits has been limited, which is why the kidnappers have become even bolder. However, at a time when Pakistan is trying to court foreign investment, incidents of this kind obviously send a wrong message abroad. But even otherwise, the increase in such cases shows the dismal failure of the police to provide protection to the people. All possible efforts must be made to solve kidnapping cases and bring the culprits to book.
THE Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) has good reason to be concerned about the falling standards of education, particularly English language skills, in our national universities and colleges. According to its annual report for the year 2001, the situation is now so critical that finding suitable candidates for filling government vacancies is becoming increasingly difficult. Last year alone, the commission was not able to find candidates for a total of 553 vacancies in grades 11 and above. Many of those who made it to the interview stage lacked the basics of a well-rounded education. They did not know much about their own field of specialization, neither did they have adequate knowledge about current affairs. The malaise is pervasive and covers the whole gamut of the education system. From early on, through the different tiers of schooling, students are spoon-fed by teachers, with exams honing not their analytical or thinking skills but their ability to learn by rote.
The content of the syllabus, especially in governm