PAKISTAN - Status: Founded on August 14, 1947, by Mohammad Ali Jinnah, a man of great perception, who died on September 11, 1948. Whereafter, the land mass of Pakistan, 362,891 square miles, split into two parts separated by over 1,000 miles, inhabited by some 100 millions, largely poverty-stricken, was led by a minority of largely incompetent, greedy, ignorant, bigoted, self-perpetuating men. It had a life of 24 years.

Power and pelf in 1971 were responsible for the loss of the smaller half of the country, 55,598 square miles of fertile territory. Since then, incompetence, greed, ignorance, and bigotry have multiplied exponentially in the men and one woman who have ruled (or rather misruled) the remaining 307,293 square miles of territory.

It is now populated by 170-plus million poverty-stricken souls, led by a mixture of the mediocre, the bigoted, the ignorant and the shamelessly wicked. Population growth figures are grossly out of line (though the mendacious government will state otherwise), and there are 10-plus births per minute.

The miniscule thinking minority foresee disaster, while at the same time they attempt to save what is left to them of their country. In this fast changing world, this is proving to be extremely difficult.

On one issue, which affects half the population, the gentler sex, the millions of under-privileged women of the land, the present President General Pervez Musharraf, has just managed to give them a glimmer of hope and, in his own estimation, taken a first step towards alleviating their misery and bringing them into the mainstream. It has taken some five years of effort put in by a few right-thinking parliamentarians who take enlightenment and tolerance seriously. The Women Protection Bill was passed by the National Assembly last week. It is now to be sent to the upper House.

It is a contentious piece of legislation and various women and human rights organisations (‘activists’ as they are known) are critical. One statement said: “Though the newly passed WPB offers some relief to rape victims by allowing the prosecution of the crime under the Pakistan Penal Code, yet we still fear that it will not make any significant difference to the problems women and men from the marginalised sections will face (because of) a clause on adultery in the Hudood ordinances.” A correct and a sad comment.

Benazir Bhutto has been vociferously calling for a repeal of the Hudood ordinances and not merely a cosmetic job. She is absolutely right. The four ordinances known as the Hudood ordinances were man-made by the military dictator General Ziaul Haq who used and manipulated religion to keep himself securely in power and to pander to the religious right of his own country and to that of his great supporter and friend, Saudi Arabia. There is no reason at all, in this day and age of waging a war against terrorism and when in Pakistan enlightenment and moderation are the call of the Musharraf day, that these ordinances, which terrorise, should continue to exist.

When he wishes Musharraf can do what he wants, swiftly and decisively — and this does not apply only to 9/11. Take the case of Mirza Tahir where sense prevailed. The man’s death sentence was repealed, and quite rightly so under the norms of international justice, and he has been sent back to his homeland. The heavens are still where they were — they have not shifted an inch, let alone fallen. So, if the general has it in mind to actually do something, he does it. For reasons not quite clear, he tends to shilly-shally rather than act.

Animal, vegetable, mineral — all are endangered species in this republic of robber-barons and thieves. Most endangered are our trees and forests, forests and trees, which are being depleted and destroyed at an alarming and most disgusting rate. Recent researchers have come up with statistics on global forest cover change between 1990 and 2005. Europe has gained stock to the tune of 21.6 per cent, while Asia has lost and is minus 8.4 per cent, one of the major culprits and losers being Pakistan (India and China have both increased their forest stock). We can be sure that whenever global statistics pop up, Pakistan is always in the negative.

Trees are in imminent danger from the topmost to the bottommost corner of the country — from the pine forests of the northern parts to the mangroves of the south. Also threatened, here in Karachi where trees are chopped on a daily basis, are the trees and vegetation of Jinnah’s mazar. This protected, sacrosanct area, developed and beautified by Musharraf and his army men, is managed by the Quaid-i-Azam Mazar Management Board (QMMB). The board members are high-powered, some of whom take an interest, others who don’t. It is chaired by a federal minister in charge of such affairs. General Musharraf’s good small government of 1999-2002 appointed Shahida Jamil, a caring, considerate and non-corrupt person.

Since the advent of our particular style of democracy and parliaments and cabinets, things have changed and right now the board is chaired by the federal minister for environment, local government and rural development, by the name of Faisal Saleh Hayat whose competence, propensities, devotion to duty and integrity are almost legendary. The newly constituted board has acted swiftly — it has shot the messenger. Resident engineer Muhammad Arif, an able man, received a copy of a notification dated 31/8/06 from the ministry of the environment which reads:

“In exercise of powers conferred upon him under Section 4 of Removal from Service (Special Powers) Ordinance 2000 the competent authority has placed Mr Muhammad Arif, Resident Engineer (BS-19), Quaid-i-Azam Mazar Management Board, Karachi, under suspension with immediate effect and until further orders.”

This was done without any notice having been issued or an enquiry held or any discussion by the board. Board members, chief secretary of Sindh Fazlur Rahman, a competent man at war with his conscience, and that good lawyer Qazi Faez Isa, have since August protested, and they have asked that this illegal suspension be discussed at a board meeting to be held later this month. Is there anyone out there listening to them?

Email: arfc@cyber.com.pk