Pragmatism on Kashmir

OLD foes must get closer and foster trust before disputes can even begin to be resolved. Thorns in the side only exasperate and laying down preconditions for dialogue is a recipe for stasis and perhaps even confrontation or conflict. In the last four years, Pakistan and India have come a long way in easing historical tensions that once seemed insurmountable but whose resolution is now within the realm of possibility. In Islamabad there has been a welcome departure from the policy of old that India cannot be engaged in discussion on any subject until the Kashmir dispute is settled and brought to closure once and for all. A rigid stand on the issue brought the two neighbours close to war on numerous occasions. Starting with Kargil, other major setbacks included the Dec 2000 assault by terrorists on Delhi’s Red Fort and a suicide attack targeting the Indian parliament a year later. But thankfully, reason ultimately prevailed and the composite dialogue that was launched in 2004 once the dust had settled has been sustained. ‘Bus diplomacy’, track-two negotiation in the form of people-to-people contact, an increase in travel opportunities across the Line of Control in Kashmir, and the Samjhota and Thar train services have all contributed to a welcome thaw in relations. To his credit, President Musharraf in his tenure as head of state has also been proactive on the Kashmir issue and the peace process as a whole.

This is not to say that we are anywhere near the resolution of outstanding disputes. But where India has shown intransigence, even provocation, on the glacial military outpost that is Siachen, there has been welcome albeit slow movement on Sir Creek and the demarcation of coastal waters. The historical injustice meted out to Kashmir of course remains the major stumbling block. But here too both sides have shown a willingness to disagree amicably and not let a fight that has been fought on and off for 60 years to impede progress on other fronts. In this connection, Mr Asif Zardari’s recent statement that Pakistan and India should not be held “hostage” to the Kashmir issue makes sturdy common sense. He pointed to the example of India and China who have seemingly shelved their border disputes to concentrate on a more holistic, and mutually profitable, approach to bilateral ties with a focus on trade between the two Asian powerhouses.

There can be no quick-fix solutions to problems so ingrained in the public psyche — on both sides of the border — and there must be a willingness to show patience and foresight. The will and aspirations of Kashmiris must remain central to any future solution. Those who think that keeping an open mind on Kashmir is tantamount to ‘abandonment’ do a great disservice to the Kashmiri people and the citizens of Pakistan and India. There can be no winners in perpetual hostility.

Slaughter in Gaza

THE peace brokered by President George Bush at Annapolis last November never had any chance of success. But if there was any, the Israeli attacks on Gaza over the weekend have finally laid it to rest. With over 100 Palestinians, most of them civilians, killed in Israeli rocket and tank fire, President Mahmoud Abbas was left with no choice but to suspend the peace talks. The US made its pro-Israeli stance unabashedly clear when it called for a resumption of the peace process without condemning Israeli brutality. That the Israeli offensive was out of proportion to the provocation caused by the rocket attacks was noted by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who condemned the “disproportionate and excessive use of force that has killed and injured so many civilians, including children”. He also condemned the Palestinian rocket attacks. The Security Council’s resolution, too, denounced the two sides. But no such balance was seen in the State Department’s reaction, which ignored Israel’s traditional ‘overkill’ policy and merely called for ending “violence”.

The ‘end of 2008’ deadline visualised in the Annapolis document has turned into a big joke now. Not even the Americans take it seriously, for within a week of the signing of the document at Maryland’s capital, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert shred it to pieces by saying he was not bound by the deadline. Since April 2003, when President Bush unveiled the road map prepared by the Quartet, a two-state solution had been the Republican administration’s official policy. But no one has shown greater indifference to its policy than America itself. The 2003 road map had visualised the emergence of an independent Palestinian state by 2005 — a deadline pushed into oblivion when President Bush said this was an unrealistic time frame. The road map had visualised an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the West Bank and a halt to settlements activity. Yet, Israel has continued with it, and the Bush administration conceded in principle Ariel Sharon’s claim that Israel will continue to retain parts of the West Bank.

Because of America’s unqualified backing, Tel Aviv can get away with all the killings and all the violations of international law and treaties it has been guilty of. But more unfortunate is the fact that Palestine is a house divided against itself. The West Bank and Gaza have become two rival cantons, with no status either in international law or in the Declaration of Principles signed by Yasser Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin in September 1993. Mr Abbas is president only in name, with his authority restricted to the West Bank, while Gaza is under Hamas’s control. Without Palestinian unity Palestinian statehood will remain a mirage, for Palestinian factionalism is Israel’s biggest boon.

Protection for NGOs

CONSIDERING that many NGOs in Pakistan are playing a crucial role in the delivery of social services, it is a shame that the government does not provide them with adequate protection. Last week’s attack on the Mansehra office of an international NGO which left four staff members dead testifies to this observation. There was unarmed security on the premises at the time of the attack — clearly not adequate to fend off the ruthless assault by a dozen attackers armed with guns and explosives. Like NGOs in other parts of the NWFP, those in Mansehra (where many organisations are working towards the rehabilitation of the 2005 quake victims) are no strangers to extremists’ threats. In fact, NGOs in the province and its tribal environs have been subjected to so many threats, attacks and abductions of staff that several have stopped work in the quake-hit zone after the latest incident. This will make the task of resettling uprooted families infinitely more difficult.

Unless the NGOs are made to feel more secure about their staff and premises, few would be willing to work in violence-prone areas of the country. Government protection is necessary at all times if religious extremists, out on a mission to eliminate NGOs and mislead the public about their agenda, are to be combated. It is equally important to counter false propaganda, especially in areas where people are easily swayed by the clerics. There is no doubt that since there is no strict check on all NGOs, misgivings about some regarding their use of funds can be justified. But to condemn them as vehicles for the ‘West’s agenda’ and to object to their services, especially those catering to women, is unacceptable. The message has to be driven home to all that had it not been for their commitment to the uplift of the people, NGOs would have no reason to expose their staff to the dangers of the area.

Swat after the elections

AFTER living for two years in a land gripped with disaster, frustration, fear and death-like silence haunted with suicide attacks, bomb blasts and beheadings, the hard working, educated, and mature people of Swat Valley spoke loud and clear in the Feb 18 elections.

They voted for the Awami National Party (ANP) and sent seven out of eight experienced, mostly young and energetic, persons to the national and provincial legislatures from the party’s platform — a secular, nationalist political party with liberal democratic credentials.

The victory of ANP candidates with an overwhelming majority and the positive response of the losing candidates brought about a harmonious political environment in the valley. As the spring season set in, a paradigm shift appeared imminent in the post-election socio-political and cultural environment of the valley.

Then came the death blow on Feb 29 —a bomb blast that left almost 50 dead in a funeral ceremony in the congested part of Mingora. It recast the shadow of fear in the changing environs of Swat valley.

Never before had ANP achieved such a thundering victory in any previous general elections in Swat Valley. Most seats from the area would usually go to either different factions of Pakistan Muslim League or the Pakistan People’s Party in the past. The MMA had swept the 2002 elections in the valley, which, many observers think, has been one of the causes of the turmoil the valley saw during 2006 and 2007. This has caused severe hardship to the people as almost 500,000 were internally displaced. The loss in tourism alone was to the tune of billions of rupees. Roads, bridges, schools and hospitals were destroyed, and the people lost hope in the future.

Will the newly elected parliamentarians be able to restore the erstwhile beauty of Swat? Will they be able to come up to the expectations of the masses to restore peace, provide immediate relief and plan development?

Wajid Ahmad Khan, an experienced political worker and member of the special group of ANP in the centre has been elected from PF-80 that includes the areas around Mingora, the business hub of Swat valley. A lawyer by profession, Wajid Khan has run party affairs in the district for a long time. He has a vision and an action plan for the betterment of the people of his constituency. He intends to “open large number of schools and initiate substantial economic activity to create jobs and reduce poverty”. He will most probably be considered for a cabinet slot in the newly formed ANP government in the NWFP.

Wiqar Ali Khan, the nephew of a veteran ANP worker Khan Nawab, has been elected from PF-82 that includes the area adjacent to Kabal. The area remained under the grip of militancy during the turmoil in 2006 and 2007.

Shamsher Ali, an experienced political worker, made his way to the provincial assembly from PF-83 for the first time after a log protracted struggle. Shamsher Ali has been elected from Nekpi Khel area which remained one of the hotbeds of militancy. He is known to have strongly resisted the militant onslaught of Maulana Fazlullah — the leader of religious militants of the valley. Having a close rapport with the common man and remaining imbued with a passion for organising the party, Mr Ali is better placed to understand the aspirations of the people of his constituency.

Ayub Khan, the nephew of veteran ANP leader and former federal minister, Afzal Khan Lala, has been elected from PF-84 that includes the areas of Matta and Durushkhela. Matta remained one of the hottest spots in the last two years. Ayub Khan’s cousin, Abdul Jabbar, Tehsil Nazim, was wounded in an attack by the militants while two of his nephews, Zakir and Shakir, were killed in another attack. Ayub Khan has remained the president of the district chapter of ANP for a long time, and has tremendous zeal and experience to bring about a change for the better. He has recently been very active in organising jirgas to deal with religious militancy in the area.

Jaafar Shah, a development activist, made his way to the provincial assembly from PF-85 that includes Madyan and Bahrian, the haven of tourism in the recent past. He has worked in Kalam Integrated Development Project for a long time and presently heads his own development organisation. Mr Shah knows the complexity of development paradigms and is able to initiate worthwhile development projects in the area. He also has close links with the development experts on national and international levels.

Another young, energetic and highly educated person, Dr Haider Ali, has been elected from PF-86 that includes the areas of Khwazakhela and its suburbs. This area also remained the hotbed of militancy over the last few years. Dr Haider remained very active in dealing with the social issues of his area over all these years. His energy, openness, commitment and education will go a long way in bringing prosperity to the people, whose wishes he is able to articulate.

The crucial issues that the elected representatives of Swat will confront in the near future include the restoration of peace, reclaiming the erstwhile status of the valley as a tourist resort, development planning for the area, and rehabilitation of the internally displaced. Keeping in view the background of the elected representatives of ANP from the valley, the people of the valley rightly hope to see a peaceful and culturally open Swat in the near future. The newly formed provincial government of ANP will probably understand the special case of the valley, and will cooperate with the elected representatives of the valley to go ahead with their development agenda.

The newly elected representatives would probably ask for the disbursement of the special package announced by the president of Pakistan in the recent past as a first step to provide relief to the hapless masses of the valley.

As for the restoration of peace, the political and social activists of the valley had started a process of forming committees in the length and breadth of Swat even before the polls. New representatives may use the platform to give it credence and vitality. Having been aware of the process and practice of Khudai Khidmatgars, the legislators from Swat may find the task more productive for the well being of the people of the valley. This seems to be a rare chance for all progressive, enlightened and democratic forces to bring peace and prosperity to the scenic valley.

The writer is a socio-political analyst based in Islamabad.

khadim.2005@gmail.com

OTHER VOICES: Sindhi Press

Caretakers’ mini budget?

Kawish

The caretakers did not care to wait for the elected government, which was just a few weeks away from taking charge, and chose to increase the prices of oil and electricity. This will bring about a hike in everything; from transport to food, and its impact on the life of the common man is expected to be immense to say the least.

The caretaker advisor for finance, Dr Suleman Shah, has justified his decision by saying that the increase has come in the wake of soaring oil prices in the international market. Mr Shah was also looking after this portfolio during Shaukat Aziz’s premiership.

…. The government was under pressure from the international financial institutions to reduce subsidy for a long time and these institutions were afraid of the elected government, as it would not have accepted such dire steps with ease.

The previous government put off the decision to escape flak and therefore, the burden was passed on to the new incoming government.

….The fact that prices of all commodities will be altered makes it a mini budget, for which the caretakers did not have a mandate.

In all fairness, the government could have waited for another two weeks and given a chance to the new elected representatives to introduce a gradual adjustment in oil prices. But unfortunately, neither did the present government do it in phases to make it more manageable for the people nor did it leave its successors with an option to do so.

It simply sought to vindicate its action by telling the people that it had consulted political forces or the ‘majority party’. As if to say that the ‘majority party’ had asked the interim government to go ahead with the adjustment. In fact the government has burdened the people…and not done much more than pass on responsibilities of the past government to those who are about to take over. — (March 2)

New wave of terrorism after polls

Ibrat

Recent incidents of terrorism after general elections prove that… the wave of terrorism has resurged. The timing of these incidents is strange and can be interpreted as something of a message to the new set up, or even an attempt to sabotage it in its initial stages. It is, however, clear that once again a dangerous situation is being created for political parties.

It is premature to predict the nature of relations that the new set up intends to have with the US. However, there are clear indications that America wants the new government to join its war against terrorism. A host of problems have cropped up much before the inaugural session of the National Assembly, pointing to a number of hurdles that will plague the formation of a new government.

The Pakistan government has denied the involvement of allied forces in the South Waziristan incident. One such incident had taken place in the past and, despite the government’s repeated denials, the people believed the attacks to have been carried out by Nato forces.

Strangely enough, the new set up was not taken into confidence…. The newly elected legislators may have their own way or style of working with the USA, as they are expected to follow the people’s mandate.

For example, Nawaz Sharif has reportedly told a few diplomats that war against terrorism has to be defined more precisely along with its merits and demerits.

This really is the demand of our times. This war against terrorism should be redefined with a proper strategy that includes pacifying the people of our tribal areas who feel alienated at the moment. — (March 1)

— Selected and translated by Sohail Sangi