| May 26, 2002 | Sunday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 13,1423 |
Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)
KCR: lack of will
Bizarre tribal logic
THE signing of a nuclear arms reduction treaty between the US and Russia was hailed by Presidents Bush and Putin as signalling the final end of the cold war and the dawning of a new era of cooperation. The reality, however, is more sobering for the Russians. In fact, the treaty, signed in Moscow on Friday, represents the final blow to any illusions Moscow may have harboured about its status in today’s unipolar world. The treaty marks the abandonment of any pretence of Russia’s nuclear parity with the US — the last remaining symbol of its former superpower status. Past treaties, such as SALT-1 and SALT-2, were based on the premise of a balance of terror between the two powers. The latest treaty, the first such agreement between the two countries in almost a decade, represents stark new realities and gives the US enormous leeway to do as it pleases in the future.
While both countries agreed to cut down two-thirds of their nuclear arsenals over the next ten years, limiting them to between 1,700 and 2,200 warheads each, the US will be allowed to store rather than destroy its strategic warheads which can be redeployed in case of a major crisis. This, in effect, makes the treaty heavily weighted in America’s favour. What Russia gained in return was not exactly spectacular. President Putin managed to gain some prestige by convincing the unilateralist Bush administration to sign its first legally binding international treaty. The US also promised the Russians a greater say in Nato affairs and allayed fears that its planned expansion posed a threat to Russia. The US, however, has managed to wrest a number of significant concessions from the Russians in recent months. The Americans were allowed
to station troops in certain Central Asian states as
part of the war against terror, without any Russian objections. Moscow also
had to swallow the bitter
pill of America’s decision to unilaterally abandon the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty.
Washington now seeks even more. Its aim now is to gain Russian acceptance of its national missile defence system, a proposal strongly opposed by even America’s closest allies notably the European Union. Putin’s growing pro-western tilt has been greeted with some suspicion by Russia’s powerful military establishment as well as a sizable section of public opinion. However, he managed to assert his independence during the Moscow summit by strongly and publicly opposing US policy on Iran. The Americans have long been wary of Moscow’s cooperation with Tehran in the building of a nuclear power reactor in Iran. They allege that the technology could be used by Iran to build nuclear weapons.
Putin strongly defended his country’s cooperation with Iran on this score and rebutted the US charges. He also pointed out that the US itself was helping North Korea, another so-called ‘axis of evil’ country, build a similar reactor. In the months ahead, Putin will have to maintain this precarious balancing act. While his growing pro-West tilt may not be very popular with a public that still harbours deep suspicions about US intentions, Putin knows that an economically debilitated Russia desperately needs western assistance and goodwill to pull the economy out of its dire straits and raise the falling living standards of his people. However, despite this painful reality, he cannot afford to be seen playing second fiddle to the US on crucial issues. Washington recognizes the bind Putin is in, and is likely to exploit this position to further its own interests, as was so clearly evident during the Moscow summit.
MEETINGS on the Karachi Circular Railway now seem to have become a monthly ritual. On March 20, a meeting presided over by Sindh governor Mohammedmian Soomro set up a steering committee to finalize plans for reviving the much-neglected KCR. The steering committee consisted of provincial transport minister Dewan Mohammad Yusuf Farooqui and the City Nazim, besides the usual quota of bureaucrats. On April 4, another meeting, presided over this time by Mr Farooqui, “approved” a Rs 12 billion plan for presentation to President Musharraf. It was even reported that the president may perform the ground-breaking ceremony for a “revitalized” KCR towards the end of April. However, nothing of the sort happened. On Friday, the steering committee met again, and the meeting decided to accelerate work on “the master plan and its feasibility.” This means actual work on the ground is nowhere in sight. In fact, an indication of how far we are from a revived KCR was the committee’s decision to approach the World Bank for a loan of 75 million dollars. A similar request will be made to the federal government. This being the financial position, one can get an idea of how far this city is from having an urban railway system for a population of over ten million. The real problem is not funding; it is lack of commitment to the cause of Karachi’s transport. The elevated light rail system now stands ditched — in utter disregard of agreements signed with foreign parties. Hopes now pin on the KCR. Even though its present alignment is far from satisfactory, new lines and connecting bus services could somewhat ease the difficult transport situation. However, it all ultimately boils down to a lack of will on the part of the government. Unless it decides to vigorously pursue the plan, there is little hope that the KCR will ever be revived.
THE case of a man held in captivity for six years in FATA despite having committed no offence is outrageous and shows how illogical and oppressive some tribal customs can be. Details of the man’s story would seem to suggest that it was a terrible case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. A resident of Sanghar, the man had gone to Khyber Agency on holiday where a group of local tribesmen detained him simply because he was from the same province as their business partner with whom they had an ongoing dispute. He was not even related to the business partner — as if that would be a mitigating factor for his confinement — and was detained for a year. A local official did spot him in the private jail but this did not end his misery.
In fact, for some curious reason the tribal authorities too went along with the illegal action, telling the man that he would be kept in detention under the Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR) till the time the dispute between his previous captors and their business partner was resolved. How could the Khyber Agency’s political agent justify keeping someone in detention for five years over a dispute with which the captive had not even the slightest connection? At least, this aspect of the sordid episode must be investigated. Unfortunately, there is no formal way to initiate action against the culpable tribesmen but perhaps cases like this should provide the much-needed impetus for the federal government to press ahead with plans to phase out the FCR and gradually extend the normal laws of the land to FATA so that excesses and illegalities of this and other kinds do not continue to happen there.