December 15, 2003	Monday	Shawwal 20, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 14: Land reforms and asset redistribution be carried out to make Pakistan an egalitarian country and the government should also declare honour-killing a non-pardonable offence.

This was stated in a survey report presented on the concluding day of the 6th conference on “Sustainable development: bridging research/policy gaps” here on Saturday. The conference, attended by experts from diverse disciplines and sectors from Pakistan and other countries of South Asia besides the US, UK, Kenya, Canada, etc., was organized by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI).

The report expressed concern over dispensation of justice system in the context of devolution of power. Its authors, Foqia Sadiq Khan and Shahrukh Rafi Khan, based the report on a research conducted in 26 villages each of the four provinces.

It said in a situation where it was difficult to have access to the formal justice system, the poor could not expect justice from Panchayat which was dominated by local elites in the form of Nazims, etc.

The conference was rounded off with a plenary meeting presided over by Dr Tariq Banuri, founder director of the SDPI.

Dr Shaheen Sardar Ali, a former NWFP health minister, spoke on the lack of connection between research, policies and their implementation. Relating instances, she stressed the need for continuous assessment of policies during the course of their implementation.

The role of mother tongue in elementary education also came under focus. Dr Sarfraz Khan from Peshawar University said Pushto took a very long time to become the medium of instruction due to British imperial biases and mistrust on the part of the establishment. Besides, he added, non-Pushto speaking minority opposed Pushto as a medium of instruction.

Karamat Ali, Director PILER, criticizd the Industrial Relations Ordinance (IRO) 2000, which, he said, had done away with various rights and recourses available to labourers. Most of its provisions violated the Constitution as well as the ILO Convention ratified by Pakistan, he said.

Federal Labour Secretary Khawaja Ijaz Sarwar, however, said the IRO-2000 was being reviewed and an amended legislation minus the provisions contravening the Constitution and the ILO Convention would soon be placed before the parliament.

Dr Saba Gul Khattak, Executive Director SDPI, highlighted the vulnerability among Afghan and Pakistani populations with special attention on women and children. Overall, she added, 72 per cent Afghans were in the most vulnerable category compared to 39 per cent Pakistanis.

Mashuda Khatun Shefali, Convenor Bangladesh Garment Workers’ Protection Alliance, described the adverse effects of the abolition of textile quotas and their replacement with agreement on textile and clothing under the WTO regime.

This would have wide-ranging impact as many garment workers support their extended families through remittances to rural areas. In many instances, women had earned greater control over their incomes, bringing personal and social empowerment by ensuring access to resources and decision-making, which might be restricted.

“The voice of these women workers has been silenced in the debates on reformation of the trade regimes. Their concerns are rarely, if ever, taken into consideration in the formulation of trade policies, yet their lives are profoundly affected by the decisions taken by the governments and transnational corporations through global forums such as the WTO,” she remarked.