Highlights of the February 2007 issue

Between the Lines

Idrees Bakhtiar

If I remember correctly it was the deadliest bomb blast ever in the country — about 20 years ago. In fact there were two blasts, in quick succession, in the busy parts of Saddar. When the first bomb went off, a large number of people were killed and an even larger number gathered around — those who tried to rescue the injured, those who merely looked in curiosity, passers-by, shoppers and commuters. Then suddenly the next bomb exploded, planted at a different though near enough spot, killing and wounding more. The blasts were so powerful that body parts and pieces of flesh were flung up high enough to hang on the electric wires.

As many as 60 people were killed on the spot and the death toll climbed to 70, as some of the wounded later succumbed to their injuries. The then prime minister Muhammad Khan Junejo rushed to Karachi and announced that the saboteurs would be hanged. Though the deadliest attack in the country till then, it was not the first act of terrorism. Before it and even afterwards, this unfortunate country was targeted by other bomb blasts.

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Newspeak

In our country, we often speak proudly of Pakistani culture without a clear idea of what we mean. What exactly is the Pakistani culture? How is it defined? And just as importantly, who defines it? If we go right back to the beginning, on August 14, 1947, a nation was created to serve as a homeland for the Muslims of the subcontinent. But the geographical realities of the Partition meant that the newly formed state of Pakistan included dozens of non-Muslim communities. The founder of Pakistan, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, was cognisant of this situation and impressed upon its citizens that there was to be no discrimination in this nation. His dream was a homeland where all lived in harmony, with justice and the writ of law, assuring equality for Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Unfortunately, Jinnah’s demise a year after the creation of this country meant that his vision of Pakistan died with him.

 



 

Media Watch

Why don’t newspapers follow-up on stories?” This exasperated complaint is often heard against the print media and, occasionally, against the emerging private television news channels. Readers complain that they are usually left in the dark once the breaking news phase is over. Examples abound, both recent and from the not-too-distant past. Whatever happened to the investigation into the deaths of women in a stampede at a religious congregation last April? Or what about the children who were maimed as a result of playing in chemical waste in Korangi? Was any action taken against the factory owners who dumped the waste? These are questions to which the media seems to provide no answers.
 

Boycott elections, Jameel Bugti tells Baloch parties

Quetta — As the self-appointed guardian of the political legacy of Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, Jameel Bugti has earned the disdain of both the government and the Jamhoori Watan Party’s (JWP) leadership. The scion of the late tribal chieftain has emerged as one of the sharpest critics of the government following Akbar Bugti’s killing on August 26. Bitterly disenchanted with the ‘fair-weathered’ associates of his father in the JWP, he has also taken upon himself to reform the party from the outside. In an interview with the Herald, Jameel Bugti speaks about the current situation in Balochistan and his estrangement with senior JWP leaders and calls upon Islamabad to adopt a soft approach towards the Baloch.

 

Stitching up a deal


By Umer Farooq

As spring approaches and the cold loses its bite, the months ahead promise a thaw in more than just the weather. A warm and positive feeling also envelops those who keep a close eye on Pakistan-India relations and hope for a resolution of the protracted and complex Kashmir dispute. That there has been progress on the issue cannot be denied. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's positive reaction to General Pervez Musharraf's proposals on Kashmir has created a feeling of optimism. Though Singh's comments in response to the "new ideas" on Kashmir hardly denote any directional change in the Indian policy on the dispute, it nevertheless indicates readiness on the part of the Indian leadership to discuss ideas that represent a clear departure from the status quo in Kashmir.
 

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“The next two three months are very crucial”

Q. You have compared General Pervez Musharraf’s four-point proposals to the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland. What lessons can India and Pakistan learn from the agreement?

A. I think the most important aspect of the Good Friday Agreement is that it respects the sentiments of the people of Northern Ireland. It also signalled Britain’s recognition of the problem as earlier it claimed that Ireland was an internal issue. Britain also encouraged third-party mediation and new ideas to resolve the issues. Manmohan Singh will have to demonstrate the same political will as the British prime minister.
Musharraf’s four-point proposal will be helpful in ending the status quo. First take demilitarisation. The withdrawal of Indian troops from Kashmir can be the biggest confidence-building measure. Second, he has talked of self-governance, which is not just a concession given by Pakistanis and Indians to Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC). It is an internationally accepted concept. Some issues Pakistan and India will have to manage jointly. The most important point is that the regions of Kashmir would be given an independent character, ending Islamabad and New Delhi’s interference. Then there are economic issues, free movement of people, and trade.
 
 

Of fools and their fortunes


By M. Ibrahim Farooqi
 

Inconsistent performances and inexplicable behaviour render Pakistan’s prospects for the World Cup dicey

Amid all the action on the international scene, the cricketing world is fast approaching the game’s most splendid event, the 2007 World Cup. The Caribbean islands are currently engrossed in finalising arrangements for the extravaganza that is to be held from March 13 to April 28. But with just over a month left, Pakistan cricket is not in an ideal position, to say the least. Waqar Younis’ unexpected resignation before the South Africa tour, the Shoaib Akhtar-Mohammad Asif doping scandal and a crisis of openers constitute the latest obstacles, of which the last is a recurring issue. The brief but troubling captaincy episode, followed by the resignation of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Shaharyar Khan on the eve of the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy, gave rise to much speculation in addition to shaking the very foundations of Pakistan cricket.

 

Promises watered down


By Sumera S. Naqvi

Notwithstanding efforts at restructure and reform, the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board faces a host of issues that impede good service

The Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KW&SB) – in its alternate guise as the Water and Sanitation Department – has finally sprung into action with much talk of attempts to reform the organisation and lift it out of financial chaos. Whether these efforts will improve service delivery or put the KW&SB up for privatisation remains a moot point.

The KW&SB faces a host of issues of ownership and governance. Employing 9,000 people, including engineers, valve men and inspectors, the organisation became a semi-autonomous entity in 1983 when it took over services from the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation under funding and a feasibility developed by the World Bank. An act passed in 1996 made the KW&SB an autonomous body with its own board of members, and a managing director who was also a board member. Chaos emerged after the Local Bodies Ordinance 2001, when the city nazim became the chairman of the board while the managing director remained a board member.