| 05 August 2004 | Thursday | 18 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425 |
Security lapses
Karakoram national park
Expectations that the Pakistan Railways will break even by the end of the current fiscal year after posting losses for almost two decades is good news indeed. One hopes that this will prove to be a turning point in the fortunes of this, the country's principal public sector system of travel and transportation whose potential has remained largely under-utilized.
At a press conference on Tuesday, the PR chairman said that his management would be putting greater emphasis on freight traffic to generate more revenues. At the same time, more needs to be done to attract more passenger traffic as well.
The railways expects to earn Rs16.1 billion during the current fiscal year as against Rs14.5 billion during 2003-04. This is an ambitious target but reflects the improving finances of the organization, which has reduced its overdraft from the State Bank to Rs16.19 billion in 2003-04 from Rs20.31 billion in 2000-01.
What is more, further savings can be achieved by adopting austerity measures at all levels, and by rightsizing the organization.
The financial fortunes of Pakistan Railways can only change if there is a significant increase in its passenger and freight traffic. Trains have to run on time and the facilities and services offered to passengers, starting from reservations to cleanliness of compartments and quality of food served, need to be improved.
Corruption is a big problem and needs to be tackled at the earliest. While reservations on key routes have been computerized, there are many within the organization who still abuse the system to make money.
This practice needs to be checked. For freight as well, it is important that the induction of faster trains is backed by better customer service so that the bulk transporters give the railways preference over other modes of transportation.
Over the years, the manner in which the railway system has been neglected can be gauged from the fact that during 1955-60, 68 per cent of government spending on infrastructure and transportation went to the railways, while during the period 1998-2003, this had come down to 20 per cent. The government needs to reinvest in railways for it to progress.
The decision to do away with the railway budget in 1972 and turn the PR into a government department seriously affected its competitiveness. In 2003, while earnings from passenger traffic rose to Rs6.9 billion from Rs6.2 billion in 2002, freight earnings dropped to Rs4.1 billion from Rs4.6 billion in 2002.
The rise in passenger earnings came largely from increased fares, while the drop in freight revenues resulted from a decrease in freight rates. Instead of concentrating on increasing the number of passengers or the quantum of freight on trains, the emphasis in the past seems to have been on increasing revenues alone.
In the recent past, the railway management leased out its golf course to private parties and allowed commercialization of over 50 railway sites. This is in addition to plans to sell valuable land at different sites to raise more money.
While these may be short-term measures to boost revenue, the management should not deviate from its original charter - that of providing an affordable, safe and efficient mode of travel and transportation to the people.
Security lapses
A video shown on Tuesday by a private TV channel capturing the assassination attempt on the life of Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz is being assessed by experts for possible security lapses.
The man believed to be the suicide bomber is seen loitering about and waiting next to a police van close to the minister's car. Another man is caught on camera while establishing eye contact with the bomber.
The video also shows at least two senior police officials standing nearby, with possibly a clear view of the unauthorized men roaming about near the minister's car.
No one appears particularly worried about the presence of the two men in such close proximity to the minister's car - perhaps because the attackers, like the security personnel, were also in plainclothes and hence indistinguishable.
However, that cannot be a very good defence for what looks like a basic security lapse. Two major assassination attempts had already taken place on the life of the president and one on the Karachi corps commander.
After each incident, the government announces an overhaul of VIP security. In fact, the one in place when the attack in Fatehjang took place was touted as 'fool-proof' by government spokesmen.
It obviously wasn't because it was apparently easy for unauthorized persons to enter the security zone unhindered. The government needs to consider the very real possibility that the attackers had penetrated the security apparatus itself.
According to a report in this newspaper on Wednesday, investigators believe that the two men had other accomplices in the "immediate vicinity" of the crime scene. It has not been specified whether these were security personnel or outsiders but this angle has to be investigated.
It is very difficult to guarantee 'fool-proof' security, especially when some of those entrusted with the job of protection can be compromised. A police constable who was working with the security team of the Punjab chief minister since July 12 has just been arrested along with other persons suspected of links with international terrorist groups.
Meanwhile, the motorcade of the Balochistan chief minister came under attack on Monday. A new security plan is now on the anvil, but it is basic weaknesses like this that need to be checked. A carefully thought-out protocol should be devised with an in-built mechanism to pinpoint responsibility. We cannot have a new plan with every assassination attempt.
Karakoram national park
The interest shown by the visiting Italian minister for agriculture and forestry in helping Pakistan develop a national park in the Karakoram mountain region is encouraging.
Meeting his Pakistani counterpart in Islamabad the other day, the Italian minister said that his government was ready to release initial funds amounting to 1.3 million euros to get the project off the ground.
The money will be spent on documenting the indigenous flora and fauna as well as on carrying out scientific research on a large variety of medicinal plants and herbs found in the area. Plans to establish research linkages with Italian universities for the purpose were also discussed.
The two sides agreed to explore ways and means to conserve mountain resources and natural habitat, including environmentally safe quarrying and finishing of marble in which Italy specializes.
It is hoped that the projects to be undertaken by the two governments will also involve and benefit the impoverished local communities that have little means of livelihood besides subsistence-level farming and livestock raising on a limited scale.
The Karakoram mountains are rich in all kinds of minerals and precious and semi-precious stone deposits. These have largely remained unexplored because of the remoteness of the region and the problems associated with negotiating the difficult terrain.
Valleys on both sides of the Indus and the Karakoram Highway are known to be endowed with enormous natural deposits. Mining of these by using scientific and environment-friendly methods with the help of a technologically advanced country like Italy can help create many jobs in the region.
The establishment of the Karakoram national park is a step in the right direction. It should be built upon to turn around the region's dormant economy. If developed properly and on a sustained basis, the potential of the Northern Areas can also help bolster the national economy as a whole.