Reporter’s diary: A mother knows when to mourn

Reporter’s diary: A mother knows when to mourn

Monsoon Season: Chapter 2011

Umair Anwar

Monsoon season- an end to draught; a requisite to a hale and hearty crop & livestock; cause for chirping of birds on washed lush green trees and news for a cool temperature after the worst heat of June. A country with an agro-based economy surely needs a monsoon season for its economic survival.

In Pakistan, monsoon season generally starts from July and remains for some time. Besides its merits, the rainy season is characterized along with some problems that revulsion this season. A press release issued by the Meteorological Department forecasted normal rainfall this season. But due to the global warming factor and the current circumstances, regarding the advent of monsoon season, some extra apt measures to lessen the despondency beard by the citizens in terms of property, life and health are required.      

The wreckage caused owed to last year’s monsoon (affecting one-fifth of the country – approximately 62,000 square miles) had endowed with enough lessons to espouse precautionary measures, since the probability of intense cloudburst is still high. Flooding of rain water, sewerage overflows and contamination of drinking water are a few among many issues faced during this season. These quandaries contribute in many health problems including water borne diseases.

Currently, Water & Sanitation Authority (WASA) is responsible for waste water services, storm water drainage and bulk water supply in major cities, claiming the collection efficiency of 77% and service delivery of 16-23 hours daily in Lahore. And still water can be seen dilapidated on streets and roads of old towns during the rains.   

The Achilles’ heel in our system arises from many non-concrete measures. Short term planning and lack of far sightedness act as a bump on the road towards development. The fleeting way out go kaput at the hour of need, resulting into a complete failure of administration. Beside these, government has a separate department for disaster management called National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). Though, it cannot be avoided that consistently intensifying rural-urban migration has also created tougher course for water supply and sanitation agencies to cope up with the basic urban services.

 Monsoon season brings in composure at the point of high temperature of summers but lack of comprehensive visions, governance, planning and infrastructure bars its flavor. Despite the fact, water and sanitation coverage has improved in contrast to earlier period but a call for new policies is needed for all intent and purpose, which could convene the emergency situations. Apposite supervision in urban/ rural improvement can help in controlled and planned progress of water supply and sanitation to have a debonair milieu during monsoon season.

(Writer is a Financial Consultant in an International Firm)

(Umairanwar_090@hotmail.com)

Ramadan & Prices

Many a times, I wonder why especially in the month of Holy Ramadan food, fuel and fabric prices began to escalate. May be it is due to the spiritual monopoly which this month have or maybe everyone tries to get share from this holy month, be it in monetary and/or spiritual form. Whatever the reasons are but to be honest my question still remains: why price sky rockets principally in the month of Ramadan?

There is by a hair's breadth doubt that the spiritual value of this month cannot be substituted with any other month of religious calendar. It is not just about the eating habits but a complete transformational change of social behaviors and moralities of the people. The pace of life changes, the attendance in mosques goes up, people begin to give charities and the entertainment and travelling time gets reduced considerably, and still the prices go sky-high!

In economics, the price escalation occurs when there is shortage of resources and the demand is much higher as compared to supply. In Pakistan, before and during Ramadan, food prices begins to rise and everything appears to get out of reach but in many other Muslim countries the scenario is somewhat different. They adopt special measures like fixing the prices of commodities and to keep the lid on they use networking tools including facebook and other social networking sites. They have separate consumer protection societies, who check the prices.  Recently in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia a campaign is launched under the slogan of “think of poor” to raise the moral and social responsibility of retailers. 

As Ramadan moves on, the tag price of three F’s (food, fuel and fabric) begins to augment and get out of reach from the common man. The lack of provisions for subsidies in the basic necessities of life creates cacophony among the masses and act as a root cause of odium for the government. A lot had been said already about hoarding and black marketing. Everyone knows that artificial shortage is created by sellers sometime earlier before the month of Ramadan to make money. These acts of immorality towards society are seriously condemned in Islam. Many places in Quran and Ahadith’s specifically discuss price hoarding & black marketing. Islam clearly forbids hoarding because of the harm that it causes to people.

Being Muslims and living in a Muslim State, we should see our glorious history. I would like to take the readers’ attention towards the Khilji dynasty. Alauddin Khilji’s food price control policy and economic measures which he adopted in 12th century was no more than a marvel to the common people of that time. There is no qualm that his policy measures were for the sake of maintaining outsized army to thwart Mongols at that time. But if these policies be adopted now, we could have some very positive implications on our economy. What sultan did was he fixed the price for every item ranging from animals to pulses. These prices where maintained by strong espionage system and whosoever found guilty was prosecuted in an open court so that others could get lesson. Then he established Royal Granaries. These were royal godowns in which grains were stored and from there, were distributed to the dealers in the market. The other highly important step he took was the elimination of middle man to ensure smooth flow of commodities in the market. These measures not only succeed him in consolidating his dynasty but also resulted in keeping away the Mongols without depending on any other neighboring state.

There is no doubt that the implementation of the plan is concealed in strong leadership of loyal persons. The state should have its clear policies on it. Many actions have been taken but still there had been no significant change up-to-date. It is sad to say that the government institutes paves a smooth way by showing lose administration, poor policies and casual check and balance on price hikes. “Sasta Ramzan Bazars” are not the solutions to these problems. Creating small shopping stalls at the corner of a play ground cannot provide the substitute for this phenomenon. The need is to check the overall economy and to try improving the overall society by strict rule of law. Government should control all the items covering complete necessities of life and then sell it to the retailers of the markets by keeping an eye on them. And, if anybody tries to fluctuate he/she should be dealt with an iron hand.

Umair Anwar

(Writer is a Financial Consultant in an International Firm)

umairanwar_090@hotmail.com

Police Reforms

Umair Anwar 

“The first observation I would like to make is this. You will no doubt agree with me that the first duty of a government is to maintain law and order so the life, property and religious beliefs of its subjects are fully protected by the state.”

-Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah address to the Constituent Assembly on Aug 11, 1947.

Police, an institution for maintaining law and order, find the rage of the people as it is directly facing people.  The age old police act introduced in 1861 is changed with the police order 2002. However, the former order amended in 2004. It was felt anxiously that this institution needs reformation as the purpose for its being in 1861 was to serve colonial legacy, but after 1947 the purpose of this institution changed radically.

The reformation process for police dates back to 1947, when the Pakistan appeared on the map of the world. And since that time the police get the most blame though because it is visible to everyone and is expected to deal with the array of matters i.e. from political to legal disputes. The recital of police is not different from other services even when the army runs the country but the reason its lime lighted is obvious as it directly deals with the public. The brutality and professionally incompetent organization especially public organization have sever repercussion on the general public as they are the one who face much. These attitudes damage the society and its adherents, and create anarchy in the affairs of the state.

The question here is why do one need reformations? There are two things that should be noted here, one the civilized societies are rooted with the strong rule of law, safety and security of the common man and when this failed the need for reformation rises. Secondly, when the existing system gets previous to meet the current environmental scenarios.

According to the Wikipedia an online encyclopedia the police are the person empowered to enforce law, protect property and reduce civil disorder. Pakistan was bequeathed with the 80 years old police act 1861 when it came into being. The police act 1861 was made in context to colonial rule, its main purpose was to keep a tight leash on the natives was totally disinterested with the rights of the people having main of serving its political masters.

Justice Cornelius called this the rule of danda (stick) as the main concern of the police was to collect land revenue and maintain law and order (same as the duties of a collector in Europe).  Pointed out by Mawbay (1990) the model followed the Irish Constabulary, where there was no mandate for the community and the model serves as a substitute of army. In 1840 Sir Charles Napier established irrationally the Irish modeled police in Sindh (presently a Pakistani province) the reason was to separate army and a new group of people was organized which could perform the duties like soldiers but purely civilian in nature. As Tobias (1977) rightly justified that they lived in barracks with their families partly for security purpose and partly to make it more difficult for them to form ‘local connection’.

In 1838 Bird Committee report emerged with an intense debate. The Torture Commission of 1855 produced the evidence that the police was involved in illegal activities. This led to the 1856 policy directive of reorganization of police throughout British India.  Mutiny of 1857 turned the complete picture of the 1856 policy directive. It was considered a dire need to control the police so the Police Act of 1861 was made in to action, in which the hierarch started from Inspector General and goes down to District Superintendents for the maintenance of the law and order. The first need of reformation of this act was pointed out by Lord Curzon in 1902-03 and findings were that the police act 1861 completely flopped. The new phase of reformation started immediately after the birth of Pakistan under the supervision of Governor General Mohammad Ali Jinnah; however, the passed assembly bill failed to reach him as he died on 11 September 1948. Year 1951-62 stressed the clear need for the reformation but still the things never get accepted on the whole. A committee in 1985 was made to study the present system. UN mission in 1995 and a Japanese and Colombian team during their visit to Pakistan identified the lapse the Police Act contains. The establishment of Focal Group in 1999 suggested fundamental reforms for police. These suggestions were taken seriously by the National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB) and finally on 23 March 2002 a new Police Order was implemented.

Above a brief overview of the hereditary acts for the police had been in black and white. The state writ is challenged in Pakistan’s Northern Areas since Taliban’s and other terrorist groups expanded their influences as a consequence of 9/11 and US/NATO military action in Afghanistan and Federally Administered Areas (FATA) and the adjacent North West Frontier Province (NWFP). Military solutions might be possible there but they failed totally in the dealing with civilian matters. The case of Lal Masjid might be avoided, provided the police be in fully position and vigilant. Pakistani police had failed more when compared to its success stories. The reason behind is the lack of training, ill-equipment, deeply politicized, corruption and poor administration despite the fact that they have potential to deliver.

As an institution the impersonal attitude is very important to be observed especially in case of Police. Police is always a mean to suppress and terrorize the dissent and political rivals. This culture developed as explained earlier way back from colonial rule. The delay in reformation of the police had led many circumstances to occur, which might/ could have been avoided if it is reformed. The promotions were attached to the will of the political masters so the affiliation to a single political party was obvious. The recent example even after the inaction of the Police order 2002 is seen in the case of Sri Lankan cricket team attack in 2009 due to the change of police command due to Governor Rule.  Senior command positions of the Police are filled through Federal Police Service of Pakistan. They are highly against the change as the promotions from lower cadre are very slow, and that create the low motivational level in the organization. 

The process of interrogation is very weak and coupled with highly abusive language and extra judicial killings. Poor training skills are an added nail to the coffin as there are only two training centers, one in Sihla and other a newly opened in Islamabad. The training center for junior staff in Manawa taken as an example as there are no proper facilities and according to a report almost 30% trainees miss their daily exercises due to illness caused by unhygienic environment. 

One of the reports of the Transparency International ‘Global Corruption Barometer’ had disclosed that the police is the most corrupt department of the of the country. The major reason is that an average police officer is earning $100 per month, which is very difficult for a family to meet its both end meet.

As we go further we could see easily in the light of the above state arguments that why police fail to contain the terrorist activity. Firstly, there is a complete lack of coordination between police, civilians and other intelligence agencies (military agencies added). Secondly, data collection also gets impossible due to lack of coordination and trust between police and state agencies. Thirdly, Special investigation Group created by FIA was to be trained to improve law and order in the country by America FBI but since 2003 only four approx visited America for this purpose. Fourthly, low incentives also create lack of motivation. Lastly, lack of adequate resources, even after being promised by the US embassy which amounts to $4.1 Billion are yet to be distributed.

The shortfall version of the police is being described earlier. The Police Order 2002 which replaced the colonial age Police Act 1860 is yet to be observed in the full sense. Some of the key points are discussed as under to grab a gist of the Police Order 2002.

1.  The role of the district magistrate was abolished and the police hierarchy was made responsible for not only organization and internal administration of the force but also with the matters connected to the Law and Order.

2.  Police should be responsible for their activities as they will be held accountable in the department.

3.  Establishment of Public safety commission to reduce the interference of the Politicians in Power. 

4.  The role of the police is redefined with perspective to prevention and detection of the crime.

5.  Police service should be accountable to public to remove trust deficit of public.

6.  Establishment of independent prosecution service.

7.  The police should come up to the expectations of the Public.

The Police Order 2002 was highly criticized when it got many amendments in 2004. Very strong response was observed as it was considered a pudding of 17^th amendment.

The major arose firstly, when the Performance Evaluation Reports (PER) of the police was to be signed by the Zila Nazim and secondly, taking away the powers of independent safety commission and the oversight bodies which undermined the spirit of the reform. And returning back to the same place from it moved i.e. to political master’s (example quoted above).

Conclusion

With the changing dynamics of the environment the capacity building is necessary. The relation of police with the other statutory organs of the country should be developed, Military and police relation in particular. The recent police training in 2010 also help in promoting the coordination between these two institutions.

National Highways and Motorway Police force can be taken as an example of Top-level commitment, effective leadership, better wages, a favorable work environment and equality before the law.  Democracy should be made unquestionable for strengthening of civilian law.

The whole paradigm should be shifted with proper training, professional policing, equipped the staff with proper arms and ammunitions, replacing age-old policing practices, developing working relationships with strategic partners and community in particularly with the power of accountability resting in the hands of general public. 

The need of the hour is to turn the police service in to an instrument of public service.

Concept of summer camps in Pakistan

                                                                                        Umair Anwar

S

ummer camps are designed and conducted during the summer vacations. According to Wikipedia, a free web based encyclopedia, “summer camps is a supervised program for children and/ teenagers conducted (usually) during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers”.

The conventional view of a summer camp is to provide the kid/ teenager with some recreational activities. In many countries, summer camps are designed to provide kids/ teenagers with vide prospects for hiking, canoeing, campfires, performing arts, music, magic, computers, language learning, mathematics, and weight loss. The basic theme following summer camps is to let the children, take healthy risks under safe environment, without compromising education and self development. Due to such programs children get an opportunity to explore and resultantly they could able themselves in identification for their future endeavors.

Children need a break from the inflexible parameters of school. School goers are not adults, it is lot to ask that they sit in desks all day, always paying attention or they get in trouble, being quiet, following orders, etc. Young student need a break. They need a chance to learn outside of a formal seating. Teachers need a break more than anything. Working hours per week is a way too much, summers break provide them all with some mental clarity and reboot for the next school year.

The basic theme behind the summer holidays was to reorganize and re-evaluate the child basic demands in their study. Summer breaks, provides an opportunity for self development and a wonderful time to explore outside of the confines of the school and class room and to learn time management.

A 12-14 weeks summer vacations, usually starts in Pakistani schools approximately from June and remains up to August/ September. The basic purpose for these vacations is to give a break to the children from a highly tough and busy routine of school. During these vacations children are given with scanty work commonly termed as “summer holiday tasks”. These tasks include exercises to be solved from curriculum books. These tasks are only meant to keep the children in touch with their books.

Many researches are conducted to define the span of summer holidays. Many people were of the opinion that the period of these vacations should be squatted. But no encouraging results were gained, even the vacations time is shorten. Among many reports, Fox news published a report saying, “the research into whether students at school where summer breaks are short do better than kids attending other schools. But existing comparison suggests the modified calendars have small positive effect on student achievement”.

The concept of summer camp applied here in Pakistan is, somewhat different, as compared to the other countries. The proper definition of summer camps have been mentioned earlier, but in Pakistan the concept of summer camps has been taken atypically.

Summer camps are treated more as a short time school. Children have to come to school in their school uniforms, along with their complete books. Though, the timings are shortened, but the modus operandi remains the same. Teachers teach the classes as they do before summers’. Extra- curricular activities are least bothered, and a typical conventional student-teacher attitude is being followed during all the summer camps sessions.

All such kind of activity is ruining the concept of summer camps. Summer camps are designed for children to indulge in activities other than studies. School these days are very demanding, a student has to wake up at five o’ clock in the morning to reach the school on time, and coming back home with loads of homework. Physical games are getting died out in their daily routines, as they hardly find any time after doing their homework. All they do after attending school is to do homework and sleep early to avoid being hackneyed the next morning. Many doctors have raised concerns over the daily routines of children. But the question remains unanswered that how many adults could put up with having their activities controlled so tightly all day long?

Even many teachers are of opinion that the longer breaks during the year have improved their teaching; summers are a chance to reevaluate how the year is going — to stop, collect their thoughts and plan. But current policies of summer camps have changed the scenario completely. 

The so-called summer camps running on these days have taken the opportunity of physical activities as well. The government must look in to this matter diligently, as these summer camps are more of some sort of short schools, with a null impact on children; rather children are drifted toward psychological imbalance. 

The physical and psychological development of the child is something which should be taken very seriously. Summer breaks, as discussed earlier have diverse benefits on the child. If the concept of summer vacations is intermingled with summer camps it might not go fruitful. Government has to develop some proper policies to separate these two concepts.

I'm afraid that we're even turning our kids into a commodity by counting the number of instruction hours compared with the kids by limiting their education to subjects that can be measured and converted into a well-paying job some day.

Let's also teach our kids the value of relaxation, of spending time with good friends, of making things with cardboard and duct tape. Let's teach them that they can learn on their own by trial and error. Let's teach them that life is not an assembly line. For that they need time, good old fashioned unstructured free time.

I remembered during my school days, the craze for summer vacations was so much that our whole year seems to be revolving around summer holidays. The task we were given was to read newspaper daily and jot down at least five news headings along with dates, this had so much influenced on my personal life that up till now, I am still in habit of reading newspaper, as my day seems to remain incomplete without reading newspaper. So, I just feel as strongly that either the concept of summer camps be taken as it means or students be given vacations to explore themselves that is equally essential to growing up as just sitting in a classroom longer does not necessarily ensure children will learn more. In end, it is not of place to mention that the electricity shortfall and the unavailability of transportation adds to the agony of students and their parents in this sultry weather. 

Be mature?

                                                

When, for the heaven’s sake you grow up? I have been asking you from the times unknown, be mature now!

These are commonly used sentences in daily life.

Maturity is synonymous to sophistication (now keep sexual maturity at par for the time being) we use to place it as a brooch to the person we feel grownup but other side round by just adding the word “be” we simply use to tag him as a baffled.

Thanks to the archeologist who identified that the man has been trying to get mature from stone ages. People at that time use to carve pictures on the stoned wall of caves, there might be two different scenarios for this phenomenon. One might be to kill the time and the other is obvious if the first one is wrong, “to be mature”. Reason what might be but the thoughts of mature ones surely revolve around these two. To me there might be one more reason; these drawings could be the comic books of those days immature, as I don’t feel any reason that they might be interested in presenting themselves as mature ones to the present day mature people.

Life is not consistent it changes every minute.  What’s looking right gets wrong next moment. The quantum of life is short. There are three phases of life i.e. tender age, teenage and not getting any younger age. In the tender age, mistakes are considered as learning steps by the elders but then suddenly the difference between the next two stages/ ages diminishes away and the person is suddenly considered polished and mature. We consider that we had given him enough time during his tender age to do mistake; now there is no space for his mistakes. But life is a constant learning, it can be proved practically, for instance give your car keys to a bull cart owner and ask him to give the ropes of his bull cart to you. Within 60 seconds you will recognize that you need to learn how to drive a bull cart. So proved learning never ends.

Great men laugh at their mistakes and consider them as their step towards success. Humor is getting out of our lives. We don’t enjoy mistakes; we just try to pose ourselves as the best in knowledge guys. There is lot more in life then keeping yourself just serious. Though the difference prevails in doing mistakes and causing damage by committing mistakes but I believe the things that are source to damage are not simply mistakes rather they are blunders. And I am seriously not in point to support these blunders.

This is life. The chapters of life are not known, only the already turned pages of this book can be read, we are feeble to turn the next pages of the this book which is called life. People can only make histories not futures all they can do is to move on and on and try to choose right path. John W Gardner an American writer said “One of the reasons mature people stop learning is that they become less and less willing to risk failure.” Destiny sometimes takes you to a dead end but this apparently dead end is the start for the whole new life of marvel. Take risks, do mistakes, enjoy the life, tolerate others and stay IMMATURE. It is sometimes better not to know all the things!

Stay Blessed.

                                                                                    (Writer is a Financial Consultant in an International Firm)

umairanwar_090@hotmail.com