| May 18, 2002 | Saturday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 5, 1423 |
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A judicious move
Smuggling of artifacts
THE government’s decision to unify relief agencies with a view to making them more effective during emergencies and natural or man-made calamities is a long overdue response to the exigencies of crisis management. Called the Emergency Services Ordinance, 2002, the proposed law seeks to integrate the civil defence and fire brigade departments into what it calls “an effective service.” The ordinance’s aim is to restructure, improve and integrate the civil defence and fire-fighting services on modern, professional lines to deal with emergencies of a serious nature. The law creates a federal body called the Pakistan Emergency and Fire Council as well as Rescue and Fire Services for the four provinces. While the federal body will be a bureaucratic set-up charged with administration, it is the provincial bodies which will be doing the actual relief and rescue work. Their cadres, besides working in emergencies, will also be required to do regular inspections of buildings, systems and equipment.
The creation of a unified relief and rescue service fulfils a long-felt need. On several occasions in the past, the absence of a modern, well-equipped and well-organized relief and rescue agency has been widely and acutely felt in times of grave crises like bomb blasts, civil unrest or cyclones. In the Pan American hijacking and massacre incident in 1986, there was no trauma centre in Karachi which could respond promptly and effectively to the demand for rescue and care. During the violent riots in Karachi in the eighties, one acutely felt the absence of an organized effort at alleviating human misery. The Ojhri camp blast in the Islamabad-Rawalpindi area in the mid-eighties also underscored the point that this nation lacked a well-organized relief agency that could swing into action at a moment’s notice.
Pakistan’s civil defence department exists only in name. Created by the British during World War II, it has obsolete notions of rescue and relief. The people are not even aware of its existence, because in emergencies it is the Edhi workers who are there on the spot to help the victims. As for fire brigades, they are under municipal governments, and there is no doubt they do their job more or less satisfactorily whenever there is a big or small fire. Beyond that, the fire department has no interest in relief work if an emergency does not relate directly to a fire incident. Thus, neither of the two departments is capable of giving an efficient account of itself in cases where casualties are high, and the destruction of property and dislocation of civil life take place on a wide scale. The law envisages a unified rescue and fire service capable of meeting emergencies. Such an outfit must be prepared for all eventualities, including the need for looking after civilian casualties and organizing relief, rescue and rehabilitation work in situations involving destruction of homes and buildings and dislocation of life in calamity-hit areas. In formulating the dispensation in question, the government has done well to draw upon similar laws in some developed countries. One hopes the proposed law will not be there mainly on the statute book but that the objectives of the law will be translated into action. The country badly needs a well-equipped and well-organized relief and rescue agency that could acquit itself adequately in times of crises and national emergencies.
THE news that the National Commission on Status of Women has been asked by the government to review the provisions of the Hudood Ordinances on an emergency basis must be welcomed. This was long overdue, considering the fact that the 21-member and fairly representative commission was set up under a presidential ordinance in July 2000 to review all laws known to have a discriminatory effect on the status of women in society. A good number of women, including federal and provincial ministers, senior officials from all the four provinces, Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Northern Areas, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and technical and legal experts are permanent members of the commission, which is now headed by Justice Majida Rizvi. One hopes that this time round the commission is able to get down to business and do what it was mandated to do: to suggest measures to emancipate women, equalize opportunities and socio-economic conditions and eliminate all forms of discrimination against women.
The controversial Hudood Ordinances have been a thorn in the side of civil society since the time they were promulgated by General Zia. The way these laws were conceived and are enforced constitutes miscarriage of justice. In most instances, women have had to bear the brunt of these discriminatory laws while their male tormentors have been able to go scot-free, making a mockery of justice and the principle of equality before law. But, as various rights groups have pointed out, the Hudood Ordinances are not the only laws which palpably discriminate against women. The three other equally controversial pieces of legislation include the Law of Evidence, the Qisas and Diyat Ordinance and the blasphemy law. While the former two may be covered and reviewed by the commission in question, since they also affect the status of women, it would make sense for the government to initiate a review of the blasphemy law too.
ARCHAEOLOGISTS and historians are in for another shock with the disturbing report the other day that what could be priceless historical artefacts embedded in the Taxila valley dating back to the famed Gandhara civilization are being excavated without the requisite authorization and smuggled abroad through Islamabad and Karachi. According to the report, this unlawful excavation is going on in at least six sites in the Taxila valley, including one near Khurrum village which is just about 13 kilometres away from the Taxila Museum. The precious artefacts that the country is losing from this smuggling include coins, Buddha statues and jewellery pieces. What is not understandable is why the Department of Archaeology appears to be a silent, helpless spectator in this whole episode. Especially so when there are clear laws against such excavations. Under the Pakistan Antiquities Act of 1975, these sites have been declared “protected antiquity” and such artefacts belong exclusively to the government. Their unauthorized removal or destruction is an offence punishable with rigorous imprisonment of three years or a fine of Rs 200,000 or both. Moreover, in July 1997, UNESCO had issued a notification prohibiting unauthorized mining, excavation, quarrying and blasting in the Taxila valley, while earlier in 1980, the Taxila remains had already been included in the world heritage list of the UN convention on the protection of the world’s cultural and natural heritage.
It is a tragedy that the Department of Archaeology is not living up to its name and purpose: the preservation of historical treasures which this country is fortunate to have and should be proud to be in possession of. Careful excavation, preservation and display of these artefacts can go a long way in helping boost Pakistan’s image as an archaeological and historical tourist attraction. Lack of funds and manpower to do this are lame excuses. If the department cannot afford to excavate and preserve these artefacts itself, it could seek funding from international organizations such as UNESCO or seek the help of some NGO.