Question of hot pursuit

THE clash in South Waziristan between American and Pakistani forces, in which a US serviceman was hurt, has since blown up into an argument between the two sides. The clash was followed by the US bombing of a building, described in some accounts as a deserted madressah, whose location, whether in Afghanistan or Pakistan, is also in dispute. A report on Saturday talked of an exchange of fire between US-led coalition troops and Pakistani Scouts near Angor Adda, also in South Waziristan, and it is not clear whether this is a reference to an altogether separate occurrence or is linked to the first incident. The latter would have passed off without much debate had it not been for two developments.

The recourse to an air strike by the US on a target that Pakistan claims is in its territory created strong resentment in the Frontier, leading to a resolution in the province’s assembly, which is controlled by the MMA religious alliance, and bringing the episode into the limelight. Second, a spokesperson for the US forces at the Bagram air base in Afghanistan said in a statement that American troops might pursue attackers who attempted to escape into Pakistan to evade capture or retaliation. This has been interpreted as an assertion of the right of hot pursuit, which the Americans had enforced during the Vietnam war to justify intrusions into neighbouring countries. Naturally, the American statement has been challenged by Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat, who said on Friday there was no room or legal sanction for any cross-border operation by US forces to hunt for fugitives within Pakistani territory. At the same time, the minister pointed out that since there was close cooperation between coalition troops and Pakistani security forces, the question of hot pursuit did not arise. His statement implied that there was no prior agreement with the US that would permit such actions.

Some of the problems now being encountered are inherent in the confused situation in Afghanistan. Its border with Pakistan is porous and poorly guarded, and there is constant cross-border movement of both civilians and fighters belonging to various groups. It may not always be possible to make a distinction between the two. Regional warlords have also kept many frontier areas in a state of turmoil, and there have been incidents of firing on coalition troops. In an atmosphere of mistrust, suspicion and fear, precipitate actions should not be seen as wholly unusual. It is also quite possible that while chasing wanted men, the pursuers might cross international frontiers in the heat of the moment. But while such happenings can be understood, it is an altogether different matter to claim “hot pursuit” as a matter of right, as the US spokesperson has done. Questions involving territorial integrity and political sovereignty suddenly begin to loom large. At the popular level, Pakistan-US cooperation in the “war on terror” has already assumed a tense dimension. Intemperate and arrogant assertions can only further exacerbate it. Unfortunately, the Bush administration has been throwing around concepts of preemptive action and rooting out terrorism so loosely that it is no wonder if the infection has spread down to lower-rank US operatives. The South Waziristan episode will blow over, but it is important that the US and Pakistan governments jointly agree to guidelines that prevent future trouble and the guidelines should be made public to avoid misinterpretation and misunderstanding.

Over-size cabinets

WITH the swearing in of members of the Punjab cabinet on Friday, the inordinately long process of cabinet formation at the centre and in the provinces has finally come to an end. Two things come to mind when one surveys the long list of ministers, advisers and special assistants. One, the negligible number of women in the various cabinets, despite a substantial increase in women’s representation in the newly elected assemblies. In fact, only two women have been assigned cabinet posts, one at the federal level and the other in Sindh. There have, however, been vague promises by the Punjab and NWFP chief ministers of inducting women in any future cabinet expansion.

This brings us to another interesting feature of the new cabinets. Most governments already have a fairly large number of ministers, with the centre boasting 29 ministers and advisers. The Punjab cabinet has 33 members, Sindh 17, and Balochistan 14. Only the NWFP seems to have curbed the temptation of having an over-size cabinet, restricting itself to 11 ministers. A more uncomfortable prospect is that the already bulky cabinets are likely become bulkier with the promised induction of more ministers, advisers and the like in course of time. This was only to be expected in a situation where majorities have been cobbled together at the centre and in Sindh with the help of a combination of unstable allies and turncoats.

A thoughtless increase in the size of cabinets is something a poor country like Pakistan can ill afford. The truth is that every minister costs the exchequer a huge lot of money. Ministers enjoy a large number of perks and perquisites — a burden which has to be borne by the hapless taxpayer. The average minister has to be given, besides official accommodation and transport, numerous other perks. They have a retinue of official flunkies at their disposal and large numbers of police guards for their ‘protection’. Such extravagance is unthinkable in a Third World country. Pakistani ministers, however, seem to revel in such luxuries rather than being concerned about their duties or their commitment to their electorates. The federal and provincial governments should think again before expanding their cabinets further. Shunning their usual pomp and ceremony and practising austerity will not only win public support for the government but will also bring it more in line with the realities of life in a poor Third World country.

Smoggy days

FOG again descended on many parts of Punjab, including Lahore, last week. This has now become an annual winter feature and creates innumerable problems. Flights have to be cancelled, trains are forced to slow down, and poor visibility leads to accidents on the highways. In short, normal life is badly disrupted. Even those who do not have to step out of their houses find the surrounding gloom depressing.

There was always some mist around during the winter months, but over the years this natural phenomenon has been turned into a curse because of rising pollution levels. Smoke and dust remain suspended for long periods to create a curtain of suffocating smog, posing health hazards. Surely, the authorities can greatly help to reduce the intensity of the recurring visitation by taking effective anti-pollution measures, beginning with enforcement of rules laid down in the statute book for the purpose. There is no reason why those who wilfully poison the environment should not be proceeded against. Given the casualties and disruption caused by fog, many other countries have paid serious attention to this particular problem, cleaning up the air in urban conglomerations, relocating factories and cracking down hard on smoke-emitting vehicles. Pakistan can learn from their experience and evolve a strategy to meet the challenge, which seems to be gaining in intensity with each year.