THE demolition of a katchi abadi in sector I-11 of Islamabad coincides with the publication of a new UN report on population that estimates Pakistan’s population to currently be around 190 million with projections of it exceeding 300m by 2050. Even with the current population size, Pakistan faces crises of shelter, food, water and energy. Family planning, still considered a social taboo, remains a neglected policy challenge, albeit one that needs immediate attention. Faith, which serves as a governing principle for many in the country, is often presented as an excuse to prevent family planning. Regardless, it is unfortunate that the state has been unable to control the population explosion taking place in Pakistan. Instead of tackling the problem head on, we hear our political leadership assert that Pakistan is blessed with a young population. Although this could potentially be an advantage in terms of human resource, at present this demographic dividend is of no use if people cannot be provided with a quality of life that is above the poverty line.

Amidst this population explosion, the number of katchi abadis is also growing in leaps and bounds, while those living there lack access to clean drinking water, sanitation, education, electricity and other basic necessities. However, instead of analysing the reasons for their growth, the focus of the relevant authorities is on demolition. This is certainly not a permanent solution to a growing problem and may end up causing additional security issues.

Truth be told, alongside the increase in katchi abadis, the rising population numbers also seem responsible for the mushrooming of madressahs across the country, with a large number of them unregistered and therefore illegal and unauthorised. These madressahs often have dubious sources of funding and can be incubators for extremism and militancy, as they prey on impressionable and poverty-stricken individuals. With families unable to bear the financial burden of more individuals, they often turn to madressahs to relieve some of their responsibility. Why the government does not devote the same attention to this issue as it does to the katchi abadis is really anyone’s guess. In order to be fair and consistent in policy implementation and to send a strong message of zero tolerance to anyone coming in the way of meeting security challenges, a few of these illegal madressahs need to be closed. It is essential that the government is fair and without prejudice when dealing with all citizens.

Disaster management in the country is plagued by lack of planning and inertia.

If anything, it has become clear that Pakistan has a deluded development paradigm that is not only unable to cater to the increasing demands of a fast growing population but is also incapable of providing basic amenities to its citizens. This lack of basic service delivery greatly hinders the government’s ability to focus on long-term and global issues of import. In this respect, the government should consider credible links that exist between population growth and climate change. Climate change, a global issue that stirs up considerable debate and disagreement, has certainly been exacerbated by increasing urbanisation propelled by population growth. Given that Pakistan ranks 10th in the Global Climate Change Risk Index 2015, one would think that increases in temperature and the frequency of floods would lead the government to attempt mitigation and demonstrate greater levels of disaster preparedness.

A cursory look at the inability of the authorities to effectively combat unusual weather extremes is symptomatic of the larger inertia that plagues disaster management in the country. Flooding, which began in July and according to estimates has affected over 1m people, and the Karachi heatwave that resulted in over 2,000 casualties, are both examples of the state’s inability to address pre-existing problems. It has become increasingly clear that existing resources and infrastructure are becoming insufficient and inadequate to deal with problems related to climate change. This inadequacy initially manifested itself in the aftermath of the devastating 2005 earthquake in Kashmir. The earthquake revealed a gaping institutional void, as no governmental organisation existed that was able to deal with the magnitude of damage caused. Subsequently, as various disaster management organisations emerged over the years in an ad hoc fashion, the government now has the unenviable job of streamlining and consolidating them in a way that ensures a coherent response when the need arises. At present, disaster management organisations inevitably overlap and, when called upon to do their duty, engage in turf wars concerning jurisdiction. On the other hand, they also resort to blame games when the full extent of their lack of capacity is exposed as being unable to address the problems of the people.

It is crucial in the midst of this entire muddle that the commissions of both the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) should convene at regular intervals to formulate disaster management policy and oversee its implementation. By way of example, the NDMA’s high-powered commission consists of the prime minister, leaders of the opposition (Senate and National Assembly) and all the chief ministers, amongst others. Regular meetings, as required under the law, will serve to reassure those in need of the government’s commitment to solving their problems. It is important not to underestimate the visibility of top leadership in tackling these issues and in galvanising a trickle-down effect for good governance.

Additionally, all organisations tackling issues relating to the environment and disaster management at federal and provincial levels must be fully independent and autonomous. It would benefit these organisations greatly to have the top echelons in tenured positions like those that serve in the Federal Public Service Commission and its provincial counterparts. These authorities should have their own cadre, as specialisation in these fields is vital and one cannot afford to have human resource taken on a makeshift basis from different sources.

The current nexus of population control, climate change and disaster management does not seem to be on the radar of the government as much as development programmes that seem to provide more by way of flash and little by way of substance. If not addressed in a timely and efficient manner, this potent mix of socio-environmental hazards can prove fatal in the years to come.

The writer is a former cabinet secretary.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2015

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