Facing up to the threat

WITH India threatening war in no uncertain terms, the need for national unity is greater than ever. The rival armies are arrayed in battle formations against each other, and jingoistic statements from India’s top leadership make one wonder whether another Indo-Pakistan war is just round the corner. While one hopes that things will never come to that pass, and that better sense will prevail, Pakistan, nevertheless, has to take stock of the domestic political scene. Since October 1999, the country has been run by a military government, and a general election is still four months away. The political scene is characterized by an absence of consensus on most major national issues. Last month’s controversial referendum has only added to the bitterness between the government and the mainstream national parties, while the religious parties have turned hostile to the government since Islamabad’s decision to join the US-led world coalition against Al Qaeda and Taliban. Against such a depressing domestic scene, the nation is confronted with a serious threat to its security stemming from the massing of Indian troops along the border. Having this in mind, both the government and the opposition seem to have shown the wisdom of putting their mutual differences aside and coming together to forge a united response to the threat facing the country.

First, the All Parties Conference, held in Lahore on Sunday, expressed the nation’s resolve to stay united “like a rock” and asked India to try to solve all its disputes with Pakistan through negotiations — according to international law and the principles of the United Nations. The meeting was attended by the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy, the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal representing the religious parties, and virtually all other parties. This way the Lahore gathering represented the national political spectrum. Even though the APC was quite harsh in its criticism of the government, it, nevertheless, agreed that the threat on the borders demanded complete national unity.

Second, the government has now decided to consult a cross-section of the people, including the political parties, on the threat of war that is now looming large on the horizon. The move reminds one of a similar decision taken by President Musharraf shortly before his departure for Agra. Regretfully, the PML-N was kept out of the pre-Agra consultations, and there are reports that this may be the case again. This is unfortunate. As one of the major national parties, the PML-N deserves to be consulted on the current security situation. While welcoming the sagacity shown by the two sides in dealing with a most dangerous situation, one hopes that the consultations with the politicians would be meaningful. ARD chief Nasrullah Khan complained the other day that the government merely informed them of its decisions without actually consulting them before decisions are made. This should not be the case at a time when the whole world is watching the South Asian scene with trepidation. The government and the opposition must rise above petty political considerations and present the visage of a nation fully united in words and deeds. On a larger geopolitical plane, the international community should be expected to step up its efforts to avert what looks like a slide into the abyss of yet another military conflict in South Asia which might prove infinitely more devastating than any before.

Flights to Kabul

THE resumption of PIA flights to Kabul after a period of almost 24 years is a symbolic step towards reconciliation between Pakistan and its troubled western neighbour. It also suggests that some semblance of normality is returning to the strife-torn Afghan capital. The Islamabad-Kabul service, which resumed yesterday, is likely to boost economic ties between the two countries and eventually facilitate greater cultural and tourism links. Until recently, landings and take-offs at Kabul airport were considered highly risky, and the runway was often rendered impassable by heavy shelling. However, the Afghan national carrier Ariana doggedly continued to fly in and out of the capital whenever conditions permitted. PIA will now fly the round trip between Kabul and Islamabad once a week, with the number of flights increasing according to demand. Ariana too will fly weekly between the two capitals. PIA is also considering flights from Peshawar to the Afghan capital as well as from Quetta to Kandahar. The Kabul flight will come as a great boon to travellers, specially businessmen and relief workers, who will not only save a great deal of time but also be spared the uncertainties and risks of taking the land route. The resumption of flights coincides with the gradual opening up of the country, and Pakistani businessmen seeking to be part of the reconstruction process are likely to be the main beneficiaries. When the last PIA flight took off from Kabul almost a quarter of a century ago, Afghanistan was on the verge of being invaded by the Soviet Union, and one of the most tumultuous periods in its recent history was about to unfold. During this period, Afghanistan has witnessed a devastating civil war, the rise and fall of the Taliban regime and much human suffering. Kabul saw itself transformed from a picturesque and fairly modern city to a heap of ruins. The resumption of flights to Kabul bodes well — not only for Pak-Afghan relations but for this once-magnificent city itself.

Lack of burn units

THE death of over 1,000 women in Rawalpindi and Islamabad during the past three years for lack of proper burn care facilities is absolutely scandalous. One wonders why sufficient progress could not be made in this regard when commitments had already been made by successive governments for setting up burn units. A project for this purpose was approved by the National Economic Council in 1995 at a cost of Rs 322.5 million and during 2001-2002, the government allocated Rs 300 million for it. Under the Public Sector Development Programme, an allocation of Rs 7.50 million was made. The PSDP covered only the federal government services hospital civil works during 2001-2002. However, till December 2001, only Rs 0.75 million was released by the finance division. Now the Planning Commission is learnt to have recommended that the project can only be completed if the remaining amount is released by the finance ministry. Burn care centres at the federal government services hospitals in Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar also could not become functional for similar reasons. Nonavailability of funds is hampering the provision of the necessary equipment for the units.

Providing appropriate facilities for burn treatment is an urgent humanitarian task in view of the ever-increasing cases of serious injuries involving women every year. Chances of survival of victims would have greatly improved if priority had been accorded to operationalizing the centres. The delay in this regard is inexcusable as are instances of non-utilization of funds provided by foreign donors, especially France, for the setting up burn centres. These lapses must be looked into and the causes of delay and apathy promptly removed. Those responsible should be called to account and all steps taken to make the burn units functional as early as possible.