Pak-India social media mela a model of democracy

By: Ramzan Chandio 

 

 July 14, 2012

 

 

 

KARACHI - The two-day second Pak-India Social Media Mela 2012 began here in city with a discussion to further enhance interaction among the people of two countries through this new phenomenon of social media.
The social media mela is being hosted by the US Consulate General of Karachi and Lahore in collaboration with a NGO ‘Peace Niche’.The Karachi-based Consul General William Martin’ who was the chief guest on the occasion’ inaugurated the conference. With more than 200 participants, about a dozen social media celebrities from India and 13 from Pakistan are taking part in the event as key note speakers. The social media activists hail from the cross-sections of the society, including media, show-biz’ media’ communication’ entrepreneurs’ education’ literature’ sports as well as government departments and the United Nations Development Programme.
Martin expressed hope that the internet connection and computer would greatly help in demonstrating sophisticated communication skills in speaking out against corruption’ human rights violation and violent extremism.He appreciated the mela and called it a ‘Model of Citizen Democracy’ and expressed hope that its participants will play their effective role in further strengthening peace and prosperity in the region.
A festival of idea and action, the 2012 Pakistan-India Social Media Mela will nurture dialogue and critical engagement with entrepreneurs, journalists, activists, writers, comedians, musicians and others, US CG said, adding the event will encourage the practitioners and novices alike to explore the creative arts, contemplate the changing face of media and politics, marvel at pop culture, highlights activists’ success, gain insights on crowd-funding, debate the virtues of slacktivism, and demystify the business of social media.
US CG further says, ‘in many ways, it was only natural that this year’s event would be focused on India and Pakistan. I have been heartened to see a strengthening of ties between the two great countries, between business people and ordinary people. As the exchange of physical good through trade has steadily increased, a corresponding increase in digital and virtual exchange is also happening’. He opined that internet penetration rates are roughly equal in both the countries, most internet users trend to be young and urban, with tremendous room for growth rural areas. There are countless common interests and opportunities that support social media bridges among the people of two countries.
The US CG further said that his country also support stronger ties, people-to-people contact, commercial ties, political ties and blogger ties are absolutely essential for the long term peace and prosperity of not just India and Pakistan, but for the entire region. The world need an economically thriving and stable Pakistan just as much as an economically thriving, stable India, he concluded. He said that despite the disregard in policies, but it was the power of social media, which connects the people of two countries.
Meanwhile, various interactive sessions on different topics ranging from media, music, comedy and education to success stories of social media were highlighted by the speakers with question-hour sessions.
During the session ‘Pakistan and India- Bridging the trust deficit’, she talked through Skype and underlined the need for bringing easiness in the visa regime between two countries.She said that people of two countries share common culture and problems, so they must had freedom to meet and interact with each other.
Pakistani journalist Beena Sarwar highlighted different initiatives taken for bringing the people of two countries together. She said that a social media petition is being prepared, which through which people of two countries will press on the respective countries to bring softness in the visa regime.
Speaking in a session ‘All the world’s a stage: The rise of Viral Video’, Ali Gul Pir, a comedian and writer said that the Sindh’s culture was represented by the Sindhi topi, it was in our hearts. He said that the song ‘Waderay ka beta’ was not aimed at disregarding the Sindhi culture but to expose the feudal mindset. He further said that Sindhi had no any connection with terrorism as there is no any Osama Bin Chandio in the province. Ali Aftab, who created Begherat Birgade, said that he is preparing a video song, which will create upheaval in the country soon.
Saba Haji, who has come from India Kashmir, highlighted the power of social media, through which she has been running a public school.

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Ramsey Clark urges efforts for ensuring justice to Dr Aafia

By: Ramzan Chandio 

| August 28, 2012 

KARACHI - Opposing the American government’s war on terrorism, the former US attorney general Ramsey Clark has said that the drone attacks are a blatant violation of international law and spawned violence.

The US statesman, who is known for his opposition to wars since his younger days, called for efforts to resolve issues through dialogue “as violence begets violence, as witnessed in the present war on so-called terror in Afghanistan”.
He made these remarks at a function – arranged on Monday at the Karachi Press Club under the umbrella of Pakistan America Democratic Forum (PADF) – to confer ‘Maulana Zafar Ali Khan Journalist of the Year Award 2012’ on The Nation Editor Salim Bokhari. Clark presented the award to the veteran journalist.
In his brief speech, the American lawyer said Dr Aafia Siddiqui was a victim of injustice “because we don’t have the capacity to stand against it”.
Clark, who met the mother of Dr Aafia at her residence, said that Aafia was kidnapped from Pakistan and sentenced in the United State and she should be allowed to return to her home country immediately.
The former top law official of the US also urged the public to stand up against the injustices being done to the Aafia and press on the Pakistani government to act.
“We should speak clearly and honestly against her imprisonment. We are living in world of danger and we must have courage to fight and argue against the injustices being meted to Dr Aafia Siddiqui… If there would be no rule of law there would not be any peace,” he opined. Earlier, Salim Bokhari thanked the organisers for conferring him with the prestigious international award – that too by such a distinguished person as Mr Ramsey Clark.
“Maulana Zafar Ali Khan was an intrepid fighter for the freedom of India from the British, establishment of a separate homeland for the Muslims of India, and freedom of press,” Bokhari said. “Without him (Maulana), journalism would have been poorer,” he added.
He also praised Clark by describing him as a crusader for truth and an international activist against injustice. Clark’s role as an anti-Vietnam war activist still lives on both in the minds of those who suffered and those who mindlessly advocated it, he added.
Bokhari said the people of Pakistan and the region were conscious of Clark’s opposition to the war on terror and his efforts to have President Bush impeached.
He added that Clark courageously defended Saddam Hussain in his trial before Iraq’s special tribunal, maintaining that it failed to respect basic human rights and that it was illegal because it had been initiated as a consequence of the United States’ aggression against the Iraqis.
Clark also denounced the use of depleted uranium, a substance causing chemical pollution in the Iraq’s environment, which had left deep scars on the Iraqi population, The Nation editor concluded.
Dr Fauzia Siddiqui, the chief of Dr Aafia Freedom Movement, thanked the media for highlighting the issue of her sister. She said Dr Aafia Siddiqui Freedom Movement Award would soon be launched for journalists.
Earlier, the PADF also passed a resolution, which stated that the Pakistani Upper House of the Parliament unanimously passed a resolution on February 23, 2010, reflecting entire nation’s collective demand that the government should adopt all legal and diplomatic measures to seek Afia’s return to Pakistan.
The resolution further said Zardari government had not only been negligent in pursuing the moral and legal duties, but also its new ambassador had initially refused to issue a visa to Clark – a great friend of Pakistan and a known benefactor of the Bhutto family.
The resolution demanded that the Pakistani parliament must immediately convene a hearing on the basis of Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri’s recent confession and the government must launch a new multi-pronged diplomatic initiative to negotiate Dr Aafia’s release.
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‘Sindh an indivisible constituent state’

By: Ramzan Chandio 

 

| May 30, 2012 

 

KARACHI-Rejecting the call for creation of new provinces, the federal, nationalists and religio-political parties of the country at a national moot here declared that Sindh was an indivisible constituent state of the country. It has surrendered certain powers to the federation under an agreement to manage the affairs of country in just and fair manner.
Titled ‘Sindh Solidarity Conference’, the moot was organised by the Sindh United Party, a nationalist group of Sindh, here at a local hotel, which was attended by the leaders and representatives of almost all the political parties except ruling coalition of PPP, MQM and PML-Q.  
The event was organised in the backdrop of graffiti and processions for so-called Mohajir province in Karachi, which was condemned by all the participants and held responsible the ruling coalition of PPP and MQM for such hatred material and slogans.
Leaders and representatives of about 20 federal, nationalists and religio-political parties including PML-N, PML-F, Awami National Party, National Peoples Party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Jamiat Ulema Islam (Fazlur Rehman), Jaamat-e-Islami, Sunni Tahreek, PPP-SB, Punjab Pakhtun Ittehad, Karachi City Alliance, National Party, Sindh Tarqi Passand Party, Awami Tehreek, Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mohaz (JSQM), Jeay Sindh Mohaz, and others participated in the conference and shared their views.
A joint declaration was issued by all the participant parties, which said that ruling alliance of PPP and MQM has conspired again and again to pave the way for divisiveness, lawlessness and terrorism in Sindh.
“We strongly believe that Sindh is an indivisible constituent state of the country and has surrendered certain powers to the federation under an agreement,” declared the conference. However, the Sindh province has got a raw deal at the hands of successive rulers and the present ruling coalition has destroyed its political, economic, social and cultural fabric, added the declaration.
Criticizing on the present government, the joint declaration of the conference further said that for the sake of its power and financial interests, the present ruling coalition has torpedoed the sacred unity of Sindh by raising the bogy of Southern Sindh province, adding, ironically, in southern region of the province the very boggy of so-called Muhajir province is not only ridiculous but baseless, self serving and self-defeating.
In the joint declaration, the participants of the moot further alleged that as soon as the general elections are approaching near, the ruling coalition of PPP and MQM is conspiring to divide the people on the basis of language and ethnicity in the country in order to fulfill their goals.
The conference condemned the conspiracies being hatched against the sacred unity of Sindh and vowed to fight such nefarious designs with full might of the people of Sindh.
The participants of the conference while adopting the resolutions held the PPP and MQM responsible for the attack on the ‘Mohbat-e-Sindh Rally’ on May 22 in city, demanding for arrests of terrorists and tried in the anti-terrorism courts, besides families of the victims must be adequately compensated.
The multi-conference speakers came hard on MQM, demanding for ban on it. 
The conference demanded to implement the verdict of the Supreme Court in letter and spirit and delimitation of constituencies in Karachi affording representation to all sections of population particularly indigenous people of Sindh.
The participants also demanded for complete deweaponizaton in city.
In his presidential address, chief of SUP Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah, who was host of the event, said that majority of the Urdu speaking people believed that they are Sindhi, but some who called themselves as Mohajir, should  learn from others.
Syed Ghaus Ali Shah, provincial president of PML-N in his speech said that Sindh was the guarantee of the sovereignty of Pakistan. He termed the Sindh province is an indivisible federating unit of Pakistan, so talking of dividing Sindh mean to break the Pakistan.
PML-N’s Sindh President further said that his Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif had rejected the Kalabagh Dam as controversial project was harmful for Sindh.
ANP Sindh President Senator Shahi Syed said that Punjab, Pakhtuns, Balochs, Urdu-speaking and others communities living in Sindh, who treated Sindh as motherland, but few people in the name of Mohajir calling for division of Sindh, which is ashamed and unacceptable. He said that indigenous Sindhis are owner of the Sindh, no one other have right to claim of it. He added that we should be thankful of indigenous Sindhis, who allowed us to live here. He underlined the need for deweaponisaton drive in Karachi.
NPP chief Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi said that there would be no place for those who called themselves as Mohajir and want division of Sindh. 
JUI-F leader Khalid Mehmood Soomro said that people of Sindh are ready to resist and fight with the people who were sloganeering to divide Sindh.
Human Right Activists and former law minister Iqbal Haider said that Urdu speaking are Sindhis and will never think of division of Sindh. He said that Mohajir province was a political slogan, so ethnic parties want to get benefit of it, but igniting of this slogan will led in harming of majority of Urdu speaking who living in interior parts of the province. STPP Chief Qadir Magsi said that we will not tolerate talks of division of Sindh. He warned the people who sloganeering of Mohajir province do not cross the limit otherwise it will result in bloodshed in Sindh.
Dr Malik Baloch of NP, PPP MNA Zafar Ali Shah, JI Sindh Chief Asadullah Bhutto, JSQM chief Niaz Kalani, PTI Sindh Chief Nadir Akmal Leghari and others also spoke on the occasion.

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Free state land not free from jaws of feudal lords

By: Ramzan Chandio 

September 03, 2012 

KARACHI - As the provincial government of ruling PPP in planning to start second phase of distribution of state land among landless farmers, most of the women beneficiaries of this programme are already facing legal cases since they got the ownership documents of the land in 2009, TheNation learnt on Sunday.
Some of the women beneficiaries are facing multiple cases as local landlords filed appeals against the allotment, which are causing hardship for them to get possession of the land in some areas of province. In some cases, one woman is facing four to five appeals filed by the influential landlords against the grant of land to her.
When contacted, Project Director of Sindh Government’s Land Distribution Programme Faisal Ahmed Okeli confirmed to TheNation that the litigation problems being faced by the women beneficiaries of government’s programme as ‘serious’ issue.
Acknowledging the problem, the provincial government has initiated programme to provide legal support to women allottees of government land through women development department, he said  In some cases, he added that the local landlords also filed appeals in Revenue Department, challenging the allotments to the applicants and claimed that the land belong to their forefathers.
It may be noted that PPP-led Sindh government so far distributed about 65,000 acres government land among the landless farmers (16 acres land allotted to each allotee free of cost), of which over 70percent beneficiaries were women farmers. But most of the women beneficiaries are still facing legal cases in revenue and district authorities filed by the local landlords against the allotment.
Faisal Okeli opined that the present litigation system was problematic, especially for poor women farmers, who did not know about the system. He said that the second phase which supposed to be stated from 2011 but it has been delayed to devastative floodwaters and rains in the province. However, Faisal Okeli said that the he has sought the data of the state land from the district governments and some districts are yet to provide such figures of government land for distribution among the women farmers free of cost.
He said that after receiving all data of land available, the Sindh government will invite the applications from deserving women farmers through advertisement in local and national newspapers, so that land could be distributed through transparent manner. He said that after receiving applications and their investigation, the government will start distribution of land through ‘Open Katchahries’.
Meanwhile, Sikandar Birohi, Director of Participatory Development Initiatives (PDI) while talking to TheNation said that taking advantage of flaws and loopholes in the legal provisions, landlords are constantly engaging the poor women beneficiaries in litigations by filing frequent appeals. These litigations prolong the occupation of landlord on occupied land. Sikandar Birohi, whose organisation is closely working on study of litigation and problems being faced by the beneficiaries, said that the litigation cases have also taken new turn and are creating more and more difficulties for the women land grantees. For example, in majority cases one land grantee women faces more than one appeal. There are many examples which show that one woman is facing four to five litigation cases / appeals against on the grant of same land, he added.
Similarly, in many cases once the women land grantees have won their cases, the opponent parties have challenged such verdict of district level Revenue Department official at provincial level in the Revenue Court of Senior Member Board of Revenue. The court of Senior Member Board of Revenue is situated in Hyderabad city, the central district of Sindh province. This is creating more hurdles for the land grantees as this office is at the distance of 100km to 700 km from different districts. The travel from their respective district to the Court of Senior Member BOR is one of the greatest challenges for the poor women, therefore, in such cases, the percentage of the women land grantees appearing in the court is minimal, which gives advantage to the opponent party to win the case.Sharing the flaws in law, he said that according to the Colonization of State Land Act under which the distribution of government land takes place, even if land is distributed among the landless peasants after a process of proper scrutiny by the Revenue Department, still any one has right to challenge grant of any piece of land to any grantee making ownership claim on the granted land.
This basic flaw in the legal framework has opened the floodgates of “appeals’ against the distribution of land among landless women in Sindh, he argued. He added the appeals started pouring in with the beginning of the distribution of land among the landless in September 2008. There was no mechanism with the government to provide legal support to women land grantees against those appeals. As per the provisions of Colonization of State Land Act, District Officer of Revenue Department has magisterial powers to hold hearings of these cases and issue his verdict in favour of either party. Stricken by extreme poverty, the women land grantees are usually unable to face such cases by visiting the Revenue Court in multiple hearings till the case is disposed of.He pointed out that there is no record of the land with any government department including the Revenue Department and Land Distribution Program Unit about grantee women facing appeals against them.
However, the field visits to different districts and interviews with the land grantees show that litigation against women in the form of appeals against them is the main issue being faced by women. He advised the government that such exploitation of legal provision can only be avoided by establishing a ‘Legal Support Cell’ specifical1y for women beneficiaries mandated with providing required legal support for timely responding the appeals made by landlords, he said, adding that administratively, the proposed Legal Support Cell should be established in Board of Revenue Karachi for collecting the data of such cases against women and providing them legal support. The legal cell can function from Karachi by establishing its legal committees of the lawyers available in all the districts of Sindh, he concluded.

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Children at risk of water-borne diseases: Unicef

By: Ramzan Chandio
| September 29, 2012

KARACHI-In the total 2.8 million people affected in recent rains in 15 districts of the country, at least 1.4 million are children, who may fell victim to water-borne and other diseases, such as diarrhoea, malaria, measles, polio and pneumonia.United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (Unicef) has cautioned on Friday, pointing out that displacement due to damaged or destroyed homes is a serious concern for the health of vulnerable children, as the loss of access to safe water increases the likelihood of contracting and spreading water-borne and other diseases in rain-hit areas.

Stating about their aid mission in the rain-hit areas, Unicef’s Deputy Representative for Pakistan, Karen Allen said here that Unicef has begun reaching 183,000 flood-affected people every day with safe drinking water in Punjab, Balochistan and Sindh provinces after heavy monsoon rains caused widespread flooding. The Unicef response supports the government of Pakistan’s ongoing flood response in the worst-hit districts.Sharing the data, the Unicef said that the preliminary satellite imagery results from the Multi-Sectoral Initial Rapid Assessment - a joint initiative between the government and the humanitarian community–indicate that 2.8 million people in 15 districts have been affected by the latest floods, including 1.4 million children, of which 392,000 children are under the age of five.
“Children from very poor families are among the worst affected by the severe flooding and they need our immediate help,” said Karen Allen, continuing, “the Unicef urgently needs $ 15.4 million to both scale up its water, sanitation and hygiene response to reach around 400,000 people over the next three to six months and to provide critical education, child protection, health and nutrition services.”
Using funds from an emergency loan facility, Unicef and partners have begun providing safe water via water trucking to 59,000 people in Jacobabad and Kashmore districts of Sindh province, to 120,000 people in Jaffarabad and Naseerabad districts in Balochistan and 4,000 people in Dera Ghazi Khan district of Punjab province. The Unicef and partners have also installed water bladders in Jacobabad.
In addition, 23,200 families in flood-affected districts of Balochistan, Sindh and Punjab will be provided with hygiene kits comprising soap, sanitary towels and water purification tablets this week, as well as jerry cans and water buckets to support safe water storage and prevent outbreaks of water-borne diseases.Unicef has also cautioned that displacement due to damaged or destroyed homes is a serious concern for the health of vulnerable children in terms of spreading water-borne and other diseases.
Accordingly, in addition to responding by providing safe drinking water and sanitation, Unicef and partners are assisting the government with life-saving health and nutrition interventions.The Multi-Sectoral Initial Rapid Assessment results indicate that three quarters of children in five seriously affected districts are missing out on schooling, as schools have been damaged or destroyed or are being used to shelter displaced families. Unicef and partners are awaiting funds in order to establish temporary learning and protective spaces where children can continue their learning in a safe environment.“Some of the affected children are living in areas that are experiencing devastating flooding for the second or third time over the past three years, and these new floods have disrupted their recovery,” said Allen.
“The government and humanitarian partners, including Unicef, are providing emergency assistance, but it is essential that we both continue and scale up the response to meet the huge needs of children and their families left vulnerable by these new floods. We are calling on the generous partnership of the international community to help us meet these needs,” Unicef concluded.

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Pakistan may suffer worst climate change

 Ramzan Chandio | 

July 10, 2012

KARACHI -Considerable increase in frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, erratic monsoon rains, floods, droughts and rising sea level are indicators of Pakistan’s vulnerability to drastic climate change which could be addressed through measures suggested in national policy on climate change.
The meteorologists and environmental experts while presenting their papers at a conference titled ‘Climate Change-basic understanding and current issues of Pakistan’, spoke about possible impacts of the climate change which included decrease in crop yields up to 30 percent, decrease of fresh water availability ranging between 12pc to 20pc by 2050 in South Asia particularly in river basins.
The event was organised by the Coastal Development Authority of Sindh government here at a local hotel on MondayDr Qamar-uz-Zaman Chaudhry, adviser to government of Pakistan on climate change, while presenting his paper on ‘Climate Change and Pakistan’s increasing Vulnerability’ highlighted factors leading to global warming. He told that the continuous flow of energy from the sun reaches the earth as visible light, out of which 30 per cent immediately scattered back into space, 70 per cent penetrates the atmosphere to heat up the surface. He said that this energy is emitted from the earth into the atmosphere as infrared light, while some of this infrared irradiation is adsorbed by components in the atmosphere so called greenhouse gases. These greenhouse gases can re-emit this energy in all direction, as result of this, effect the earth is kept some 30°C warmer than without these GHGs, essential for live on earth, he added.
Dr Chaudhry, who is the vice president of World Meteorological Organisation-Asia Region, pointed out that earth is de-glaciating. He cited that since 1979 more than 20 per cent of the Polar Ice Cap has melted away. Regarding some projections of future climate change, he said that sea level will rise by between 7 inches and 2 feet in the 21st century.
Dr. Chaudhry further said that the global climate change is the most dangerous and difficult environmental problem humans have ever created, but there is much that individuals, firms and governments can do to reduce the danger. Talking about Pakistan’s vulnerability to climate change, he said that the considerable increase in frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, erratic monsoon rains causing frequent and intense floods and drought are the impacts of the climate change in the country.
He further said that the projected recession of (Hindukash) glaciers threatening water inflows into Indus River System, besides increased temperature leading to reduced agricultural productivity and increased intrusion of saline water into Indus delta due to sea-level rise are Pakistan’s vulnerability to climate change.
He cautioned that these threats may lead Pakistan to water scarcity and food insecurity.Other possible impacts of the climate change may lead in decrease of forest productivity, reduced forest area, unfavorable conditions for biodiversity, changes in species composition and higher flood risks in the country.
Regarding the impact of climate change on human health, he said that the climate change induced extreme temperature and rainfall events may cause increase incidence of diarrheal and many vector borne diseases such as malaria and dengue.
He opined that there are two key ways of responding to climate change, one is through adapting to the changes and other is through mitigation measures for greenhouses gas emissions reduction. Regarding policy development consultation process initiated after a lengthy consultation with all the relevant stakeholders including federal ministries and departments, provincial governments and their line-departments, NGOs and civil society organisations, a national policy on climate change has been finalised.He said that the policy goal was to ensure that climate change was mainstreamed in the economically and socially vulnerable sectors of the economy and to steer Pakistan towards climate resilient development.
Dr Chaudhry informed the conference that the key factors for adaptation to climate change are water resources, agriculture and livestock, human health, forestry and biodiversity, disaster preparedness, and other vulnerable Eco-Systems include Mountain Areas-Rangeland and Pastures, Arid, Hyper Arid Areas-Wetlands and Coastal and Marine Ecosystems. The local rain harvesting measures and conservation, reduction in irrigation losses and use of efficient irrigation techniques, increase of water storage capacity as well as identification of new dam sites have been suggested as adaptation measures in water resources, besides steps for protection of surface and ground water degradation, recycling of waste water, protection of catchments and reservoirs and rational ground water exploitation were also suggested in the climate change policy. He disclosed that in the last year’s rains about 50 million acres foot water was wasted, which was higher than the storage capacity of Tarbella Dam.
He said that strengthen flood forecasting warning system, enforcement of flood plain regulations; strengthening barrages capacity, rehabilitation of irrigation infrastructure & river embankments have been suggested climate change policy for disaster preparedness in the country.
To promote increased use of renewable energy such as wind, solar, bio-fuels; increase the shares of nuclear power and hydroelectric in the energy mix and preference in import of LPG, LNG natural gas over oil have also been suggested as measure to mitigate climate change in energy sectors.
Meanwhile, Dr Ghulam Rasool, Deputy Director of Pakistan Meteorological Department said that only 5% to 15% more than normal rains have been predicted for this monsoon season in the country.
On this occasion, Director General SCDA Muhammad Haneef Pathan, Director GIS, SCCDP Mustafa Sarwar Abbasi and Consultant of SCDA Shamsul Haq Memon also spoke on the subject.

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