In the Line of Fire, A Review

Another Life in Danger in Pakistan Re: # 59

Mr. omar_r_quraishi: Thanks. According to news repaorts Dr Sarki`s relatives have filed a habeas corpus petition in the sindh high court. The court has issued notices to authorities. Nothing has happened yet.

Also that I used the word `senior` as a mark of respect for Mr. Cowasjee. It didn`t have anything to do with his `position` at Dawn. I am sorry that it came out that way.

Regards,

Another Life in Danger in Pakistan

Thanks to the contributors on this forum who have commented on the case of Dr Safdar Sarki and other points made in the article. I regret that some contributors have tried to distract the people. I appeal to all the readers not to give way to their likes and dislikes and any prejudices that they might have against any individual or a people and look at the case on humanitarian grounds. It is now 18 days since the ‘disappearance’ of Dr Safdar Sarki. His whereabouts are still unknown.

Through the efforts of some people, Amnesty International has taken up his case and issued an urgent appeal for action. Please visit http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA330082006 to know more facts on it.

Some questions have been raised over some facts in the article. Let me address some of them:

Justice was carried: Some contributors have given the impression that military had taken up the issue and hanged Captain Arshad and I missed to mention it. People aware of the case know that the case was taken up after huge protest, media campaign and the heroic struggle of an elder woman of the family Mai Jindo. When the culprit was sentenced to death, his execution was delayed and efforts were made to save him. It was only after the self-immolation of two daughters of Mai Jindo that the sentence was finally carried out. I have referred to it as ‘partial justice’ in my article because that is what it is.

Here we have to consider as to what are the responsibilities of the state and the society towards the victims’ family? 9 of its male members – the bread earners for the family - were murdered cold-blooded. Who should be responsible for the family’s rehabilitation? Mai Jindo and her family have been calling for justice to them since about 13 long years. Many administrations have made empty promises. The family still lives in fear and in horrible conditions.

Cowasjee’s column: Senior Dawn columnist Ardeshir Cowasjee has mentioned portions of my article and some contributors have raised questions about it. Since this was an important and a serious matter involving the life of a human being, I made an exception and sent this article to some lists and human rights organizations besides sending it to Chowk to create awareness about the case and call for action. The intent was to make efforts to save a life.

A recipient of my mail sent a message to Ardeshir Cowasjee requesting his help in the case. He/she copied some portions of my email without acknowledging, which were carried by Mr. Cowasjee. I don’t have any problem with that.

Mr. Cowasjee has mentioned the case again in his column ‘This wild and woolly land’ in last Sunday’s Dawn. It is worth reading. I copy one paragraph here:

“It seems to be the fate of the citizens of Pakistan to live and exist in a wild-west woolly atmosphere, where anything goes other than the law. Few remember that it was Mohammad Ali Jinnah who exhorted his future law-makers to bear in mind, always and for ever, that the first duty of any government, democratic or otherwise, is to maintain law and order so that the lives and properties and religious beliefs of its citizens are protected. From the very start, the small men who followed him have never heeded his words.”

Cover-Up of a Gang Rape by the Military?

#171 by ZahraJ

Democracy? Yes, I would always prefer democracy over any form of dictatorship but I would never be a silent spectator under a democracy either.


A post under Beena Sarwar`s article:

#45 by Charlie on February 22, 2005 4:05pm PT
Captain Hammad is a nephew of the wife of a key Corps Commander posted north of Rawalpindi who is also related to General Musharraf’s military staff, a Major General.
What is the value of ``Bloody civilians`` in front of a ``high profile army officer``.

All documents are going to be fake? Poor Doctor is going to possess bad character.

Dr Shazia says she can`t sleep. then why General should sleep in presidentail palace. The palace he captured without reasons. this way, he took the responsibility of providing justice to all people of the country. Musharraf is a culprit. Every night, Dr Shazia is sleepless and he sleeps, he becomes worse culprit.

Then PPL officials, Police and Army men. how cheap. Every body is negatively involved in the case. Civil servants (PPL) are playing dirty games of changing statements. Police is dirty as always. talking of them make me feel stink. And Army: May lord destroy such an army who knows raping its people whom it is supoosed to protect. Who knows bombing its people in Wana and Baluchistan and who doesn`t learn from its sins in east Pakistan.

These pakistanis think, west is against them without reasons. fools. It is not possible in dirty, sinful, destined to hell west that in such a case, offenders escape the punishment. In land of the pure, it is a daily routine.

MMA are silent. Their islam goes to hell when there is a need to talk against powerful offenders. Q league are political prostitutes. And PPP, why will they talk. It is not important to get the power. While Mullahs are good at protecting their sisters being raped in Kashmir, What happens to them when their sisters are raped on their own side of the border.

People Talk of Karo Kari. And yes, he is the father in law of Shazia. Such father in laws should be karo karied.

I really appreciate Shazia`s husband that he is still with her and facing the difficulty with her. Seems that education brings positive changes in attitudes.

Realy, there is no solution let to make the system work. Where there is no justice, I mean speedy justice, there is no hope of survival of the society.

I am sorry. I am realy frustrated and I don`t know what I am typing makes any sense or no.

Cover-Up of a Gang Rape by the Military?
#169 by ZahraJ
``Pakistan can never get rid of its gender related inequities.``
``...the Pakistani Nation will never be enlightened enough to take effective measures around the issue under discussion. A few articles here and there, a few letters to the current ambassador, a few hot-headed posts/speeches and that`s it.``

It is true. The situation is bleak. It may however come as a surprise to many that there are still some people who haven`t lost all the hope and are engaged in a struggle to have democracy, justice and fair play in the country.

Especially heartening are the events like the Baloch women`s rally in Sui, Balochistan the other day calling for justice in the rape case. It is said to be first of its kind in Balochistan. Then there are the examples of the struggle by the HRCP and the lawyers.

All may not have been lost - at least not yet. There must be some hope. I think the civilian society shouldn`t give up. It can`t afford to do that.

Please read the following quote. It gives us a little food for thought:

First they came for the Communists,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
and by that time there was no one
left to speak up for me.

By Rev. Martin Niemoller, 1945

A Case Against Kalabagh Dam

Baglihar vs. Kalabagh Dam:
Why is one `haraam` and other a `halaal` dam?

After ‘waffling and wavering for several years’ (as reported by a newspaper today), Pakistan has finally requested the World Bank to appoint a neutral expert to settle its Baglihar dam dispute with India.

It may be recalled that the WB had brokered the 1960 water-sharing treaty between India and Pakistan and also stands as its guarantor. The treaty gives both the countries the third party option in case of a deadlock over any issue. Article IX of the treaty provides for settling disputes through neutral expert or arbitration if they cannot be resolved between the two Indus water commissioners.

Main Pakistani objections to the Baglihar Dam revolve around the theme that the project as designed would manipulate flow of water to Pakistan`s disadvantage. “The project can lead to acute water shortages in Pakistan due to suspension of supplies for up to 28 consecutive days during certain months”, Pakistani experts say. They fear that the dam may deprive Pakistan of up to 7,000 cusecs of water per day.

Now the people of Sindh, the lower riparian province of Pakistan have similar objections against Kalabagh Dam or any other mega dam upstream. The NWFP has its own objections against the proposed Kalabagh Dam. Why is it that the governments of Punjab and Pakistan turn a blind eye to their concerns? If they object to Baglihar on similar grounds, how can they go ahead with KB or any other dam of their own? Why can’t they abide by their own argument? Why this duplicity and hypocrisy? Why the double standards?

I think it is time that the experts in water and legal matters sympathetic to the point of view of Sindh, the NWFP and Balochistan prepare their own case and request the World Bank to make them a party in the dispute.

A Case Against Kalabagh Dam

``Infeasibility of the Kalabagh Dam``

Here is what former IRSA Chairman, Engnr Fatehullah Khan (I don`t think he is from Sindh. He could be from the NWFP) says in another article on the life and thus the infeasibility of the Kalabagh Dam in an article in daily Dawn on November 1, 2004:


Infeasibility of the Kalabagh Dam

``For further proof of its infeasibility, refer to the KBD`s project report June 1988, page 3.9 para 3.31, which states: -

``Chas T. Main etc considered special low-level sluices to achieve very low drawdown. In that case power generation must be discontinued. Thus economic Penalty is large``. The above excerpts indicate that the KBD is neither beneficial for irrigation nor for power generation. It also shows that Kalabagh is not the suitable site for a storage dam as prefixed by WAPDA in the TOR for the consultants. It may be investigated for a barrage.

Implications: Refer to the KBD main report page 4.11 para 4.55 which emphasizes that heavy silting will take place in the 3.5 maf Attock portion of the KBD reservoir against the heavy inflow of about 90 maf of water. As KBD reservoir has the poorest CI ratio in the world, therefore it will rapidly silt up as Tarbela is fast losing its silt trap efficiency after performing 30 years of service.

The muddy Kabul River is also contributing about 110 million tons of silt equal to 0.1 maf annually in addition to 0.2 maf of silt flow from Tarbela Reservoir. Besides all above, the lurking danger of the liquefaction of 200 feet high and about 60 Km long silt island in Tarbela Reservoir would be a potential catastrophe for a down stream storage dam.

The selection and fixation of reservoir site by Wapda with the poorest CI ratio is a great mistake, as it will rapidly silt up. This is why the Kalabagh consultants have shown great concern of rapid silting in the main project report on page 3.5 para 3.17, page 4.12 para 4.57.and page 3.9 para 3.31. Few relevant excerpts are quoted below: -

I. ``Upstream of Attock the flood level are sensitive to the amount of sediment so that flood risk will increase with time``.

ii. ``The future distribution of sediment can be predicted in general terms only and local behaviour will depend on actual sediment inflows, reservoir operation and local flow pattern``.

iii. ``No immediate solution for sediment management seems to be practically viable``.

iv. ``The high sediment load carried by the Indus at Kalabagh has an important bearing on the design of Kalabagh Dam and on the operation rules of the reservoir.``

v. ``In the long run the generation of power will be on run-of-river``.

The above excerpts show that the dam is a very short lived project due to rapid silting like the original Sanmenxia Dam in China that was built with mid-level sluicing design and failed with in two years of its construction due to rapid silting and backwater flooding....``

A Case Against Kalabagh Dam

#29 by HP


World Bank pushing the dam?


I don’t know where learned HP gets this idea. I have read statements by Pakistani Water and Power Minister and other officials saying that the government has not yet approached any financial institution for assistance to build KB Dam.

WB has financed several mega dams but after the World Commission on Dams’ report criticizing the utility of mega dams and the widespread opposition against such projects, it has pulled back from several. WB quit its support to India’s Sardar Sarovar Dam in 1993 in the face of huge movement against the dam. Two years later, the bank was pressured into pulling out of the controversial Arun III Dam in Nepal accepting the main arguments of its opponents.

I have seen a letter on e-groups by WB Country Director in Pakistan saying that the bank has not decided to finance the KB Dam and that no decision would be taken without listening to the stake-holders.


KB Dam’s life:


Sir, I don’t say it. The Indus River System River Authority, IRSA, the supreme official body on water in Pakistan rejected the Kalabagh Dam through its letter dated October 22, 1996 on the basis that: a) The Dam will be silted rather quickly. b) Its short life: 22 - 30 years. c) Poor performance. d) Comparatively lower electric generation capability.

Here is what an expert on the issue and former IRSA Chairman, Engnr. Fatehullah Khan says on the subject in an article in daily Dawn dated 13th December, 2004:

“The most serious and dangerous is the blockage of the sub-surface drainage flow from the two valleys towards the only outlet through Attock gorge. The area up stream of the Attock gorge is subjected to heavy silting. According to the KBD consultants this area is most sensitive to silting.

It will receive 0.1 maf silt annually from Kabul River and 0.2 maf from the Indus River. The consultants have estimated 540 million tons of silt flow annually at Attock.

This will hardly give a life span of about 15 to 20 years in depleting order for the 3.5 maf Attock portion of the KBD reservoir….”


HP says:


“Every Dam would have silt issue and regular maintenance should take care of that. I don’t see that to be a reason to shelve this project.”

Please tell it to WAPDA. Why don’t they ‘regularly maintain’ the Tarbela and Mangla dams and ‘take care’ of the silt problem. Why do they argue to build another dam citing the silt problem?

Have you forgot about the ‘great’ Warsak Dam? How soon it was silted and rendered useless? Do you have any idea?


Everybody supports the KB Dam except Sindhis:


This could be a candidate for the misstatement of the year!

Not once but it has been several times (7 times according to one count) that the PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLIES of three out of four federating units have UNANIMOUSLY passed resolutions against the construction of the Kalabagh Dam. And it happened during various governments so you can’t taint it as opinion of a certain group.

Also that one is aware of the strong opposition to KB Dam in the NWFP. How can one say that everybody supports KB Dam except Sindh? Who has forgot the great rallies of 90s when the Pukhtoons gathered at Attock and Sindhis and Balochs at Kamoo Shaheed forcing the NS government to back track on the issue?

A Case Against Kalabagh Dam

Dear participants in this discussion,

Don’t listen to the one ‘taken to color his sentiments’ that lead ‘to confrontation’, listen to the world famous author and see what he says about mega dams.

It is Patrick McCully, the Executive Director of the International Rivers Network. He has written some books on the subject and is also an Associate Editor of ‘The Ecologist’. The following passage is from his book ‘Silenced Rivers’ (page 24):

“A growing number of academic and activist researchers, however, have been building up an impressive corpus of data showing the extensive damage which dams and their associated irrigation schemes cause to watersheds, cultures and national economies. Furthermore the evidence is steadily mounting to show how dams have not fulfilled the promises made for them. Dams invariably cost much more than claimed, diverting investments from more beneficial uses. Reservoirs tend to fill with silt long before predicted and hydro plants to supply much less electricity than promised. Irrigation schemes are badly managed, destroy soils, bankrupt small farmers and turn lands used to feed local people over to the production of crops for export. Dams assist the powerful and wealthy to enclose the common land, water and forests of the politically weak. By misleading people into thinking that they cab control huge floods, dams encourage settlements on flood plains, turning damaging floods into devastating ones.”

A Case Against Kalabagh Dam
#7 fnahmad and other participants,


Mega Dams: some alternatives

It is wrong to say that if new dams are not constructed, there won`t be any progress or development in the country and that there are no alternatives to the construction of new dams.

Dams are mainly constructed for generating power and irrigation purposes. For electricity, `Run of the River` dams can be built as the Ghazi Barotha Dam. Coal may be used to build huge power plants. For irrigation purposes, small, carry over dams can be built. Lining of watercourses and some of the canals can greatly help. Improving water management is another key to increased agriculture production.

Conservation: misuse and wastage of water has to end and measures have to be taken including educating the people to conserve this precious natural resource.

Wastage in system: During past few years, there has been 102-104 MAF of water available in the system. Out of which approximately 55 MAF is wasted in the system. Besides the wastage through seepage and evaporation in the rivers and dam reservoirs, a large quantity is wasted in canals, distributaries, and watercourses and due to the flood irrigation system. A substantial quantity could be saved through lining the canals, the distributaries and watercourses and by adopting better irrigation system. The water thus saved could equal to 4 to 5 Kalabagh or Bhasha size dams. You could imagine how much more land could be brought under cultivation if such measures are taken.

Population: Water availability is not going to drastically increase. Recent studies of Himalaya glaciers tell us that water availability may even decrease in coming years due to changing weather patterns (another argument against mega dams). On the other hand the population keeps increasing. That will put immense pressure on available water in coming years. There is a need to have an effective control over population increase.

Greed must end: most of the problems have been created due to the greed of powerful feudal lobbies in the upper riparian Punjab province. Chashma-Jehlum and Taunsa-Panjnad link canals were built with an understanding that they will be operated only in flood months. Now they are operated the year around. Greater Thal Canal is being built over the objections of the lower riparian province. Similarly Reinee and Kachhi canals are being built without taking the availability of water into account. They will create another big farming lobby that will put more demands on water.

De-silting of Tarbela Dam: one of the arguments for a new dam is that Tarbela has lost storage capacity substantially due to silting (although we haven’t filled Tarbela and Mangla dams this year despite their lost capacity). Many experts have suggested ways to overcome that problem. In 1997 TAMS, the designers of Tarbela Dam, had conducted a study that recommended sediment sluicing to meet the problem. It advised that Tarbela would become a perpetual storage of 6 million acre feet if new tunnels and an underwater dyke were constructed for its proper sediment sluicing.

In 1998 an eminent American engineer, who had spent about 6 years at Tarbela and many years with TAMS, had advised the ministry of water and power that by using the existing low-level tunnels 3 and 4 for sediment sluicing the existing storage capacity of Tarbela can be preserved, without the construction of new tunnels and dyke.

Syed Shahid Husain, former Secretary Water and Power, also strongly advocated the use of tunnels 3 and 4 for the sediment sluicing of Tarbela. Experts suggest that the expenditure on the de-silting process would only be a fraction of the cost of a dam. Raising the height of Mangla would also provide an increased storage capacity to offset any loss.

Mangla Dam: we will have increased capacity to store water in Mangla Dam after its height is raised. However the dam shouldn’t be filled before meeting the requirements of the lower riparian province.

Dear participants, these measures will cost a lot less than mega dams and will not divide the people making them enemies forever. I hope we will not support the plans forwarded by vested interests that will lead to the weakening of the federation. One hopes sense will prevail before it is too late.

Aziz

A Case Against Kalabagh Dam

Building mega dams is an extremely important issue. It requires huge amounts of money – at least 10-15 billion dollars if all the aspects are considered. Spending that much money on a project that has a life span of only 22-30 years is a sheer wastage of resources. It is not worth it. The dam will be silted before we even pay off the debts incurred on it. It will bankrupt the country and be a source of division and infighting during its operational years.

Another thing to keep in mind is that THE DAMS STORE WATER, THEY DON’T CREATE WATER. If there is no water in the river system, what good a dam will do? It will be empty at least 4 out of 5 years and 24 out of 30 years (its maximum life).

Why do you want to waste national resources on an infeasible project?


Someone has given example of China and India building mega dams. Please also note the protests in those countries against mega dams. Also read about the disasters due to the failure of dams in China. And the reports against mega dams by World Commission on Dams and the International Rivers Network.

If anybody is interested in reading on technical aspects of this project, please visit the following links:

Engr. ANG Abbasi and Engr. Abdul Majid Qazi: Kalabagh Dam: Look Before Your Leap: http://www.sanalist.org/kalabagh/a-7.htm

Engnr. Iftikhar Ahmed: Kalabagh Dam -- Development or disaster? http://www.sanalist.org/kalabagh/a-10.htm

Dr. Shaheen Rafi Khan: The Kalabagh Controversy: http://www.sanalist.org/kalabagh/a-14.htm

Chief Engnr. A A Musalman: Rivers water dispute: Making of a tragedy-I: http://www.sanalist.org/kalabagh/a-21.htm

Chief Engnr. A A Musalman: Rivers water dispute: Harvest of problems-II: http://www.sanalist.org/kalabagh/a-22.htm

Dubious Universities
#4 SRJafri

Here is a letter published in today`s (Nov. 14, 2004) The News:

Sub Standard Universities

Naeem Sadiq

Dr. Isa Daudpota, project leader Center for Frontier Technologies, Islamabad was fired from his job on 8th November 2004. He spent past many years, advocating and writing on issues that concern raising the standard of science and education in Pakistan, preservation of water and environments, human rights and social causes. Why was then such an eminent, pragmatic, and forthright person abruptly shown the door at a few days notice?

One does not expect the academic institutions, research organizations, universities and Higher Education Commission to adopt a mafia - like approach of ganging up against some one who raises questions about their working and standards. In a series of articles, written over past several months, Dr. Daudpota exposed the racket of many fake and substandard universities in Pakistan and how they award worthless Ph. D. degrees in as little as six months. He wanted Higher Education Commission to use its mandate to investigate if NUML and Islamabad University Vice Chancellors themselves have valid Ph. D degrees, and if these degrees came form correctly accredited sources. It was also suggested that HEC should carry out an academic audit of NUML (and many other universities) to determine if they are involved in granting those fast-food restaurant style, six monthly PH. D degrees, specially to gain favour from people in important places. HEC, perhaps because of its own oversights and omissions, has decided to take the side of those who are following these fake and substandard academic practices. Instead of appointing an independent commission to look into these issues, close down such fake universities (43 of them only in the province of Sindh), declare the names of false or fake degree holders, and oust some vice chancellors for themselves possessing inappropriate degrees, it chose the easy way out. It fired the messenger who brought the message.

Would the prime minister who is himself a graduate of an institute of repute and holds a valid MBA degree, appoint an independent commission to investigate the fake degree awarding universities and their fake vice chancellors. A society that tolerates unethical and substandard institutes of higher learning would have little to look forward to.

Karachi.

Rangers and the Fishermen
#1 Temporal:
I have always been wondering what could be the role of civil society to end this ‘occupation’, which is destroying the country very fast. Hope ‘chowkis’ will come up with some ideas.

Fishermen in Badin district are facing a grave human issue as their only source of livelihood is taken away from them. The district is one of the richest in all of Pakistan mainly due to the vast oil production but the people there are among the poorest in all of Pakistan as all the riches of course go to the `masters`, not the `subjects`.

And it is not a new issue. Fishermen have been fighting for their rights since early 80s when Rangers started their control over fishing in the area. Please read this report by Mr. Hussain Askari published in monthly Herald last year:

“I’m a fisherman but no one in my house has eaten seafood for six months”

Catch-22

By Hussain Askari

The impoverished fishermen of Badin and Thatta are trapped in a no-win situation. The rangers are meanwhile raking in the bucks, for doing nothing whatsoever.

Mitthan Mallah’s only crime was that he wanted to take home two kilograms of his catch. The rest, roughly 80 kilos of saltwater fish, had already been snapped up by a contractor at rates abysmally lower than the market price. On his way home, Mitthan had to pass through one of the 11 checkpoints set up by the Pakistan Rangers in the Badin coastal area. When the secret cache of fish was discovered amongst his belongings, a rangers official smashed his face in with a rifle butt, leaving a permanent scar. “I’m a fisherman but no one in my house has eaten seafood for six months,” says Mitthan, a poor man who has no choice but to accept his sorry fate. The powerful people, the men with the guns and uniforms, obviously don’t care either way.

It was almost 20 years ago in 1982 when the Thar Rangers asked the Sindh government for exclusive fishing rights over a few outlets of the right bank outfall drain (RBOD). The catch from Badin’s coastal areas, they argued, would help ensure the welfare of the rangers personnel posted in the area. General Ziaul Haq’s military regime called the shots in those days and the Sindh government could do little but oblige. Some fishermen did raise their voice against this unfair and arbitrary decision but not even the most visionary of locals could imagine the extent of the hardships that lay ahead.

Within a few years, the rangers had extended their sphere of influence beyond Badin to Thatta. As things stand, the Pakistan Rangers now enjoy exclusive fishing rights in the coastal areas of both districts. Every year a fishing contract is auctioned at the rangers headquarters in Karachi, and the last such sale fetched a staggering 31.6 million rupees. No one benefits save the rangers and the contractor.

Courtesy: http://dawn.com/herald/

Change of the Praetorian Guard
Reading the comments here, I recalled a mail I had sent to Chowk editors to be published on Civic Center but somehow they didn`t carry it. I am copying it here as it is related to the issue:

After ‘law of necessity’ comes ‘lie of necessity’

Zia-ul-‘Baatil’ was an avid liar too – actually a compulsive one at that. He made many promises only to break them – he did all that with much ease – feeling no remorse – and even having a wry smile on that hypocrite face of his.

Our present dictator is not much far behind either. He may have lied on some occasions as many mortals do but Mush would certainly earn an unenviable distinction of being a ‘proclaimed liar’ if he decided to keep the uniform after 31st of December, 2004 as by doing so he would be reneging on a public solemn pledge that he had made to the people of Pakistan only 9 months ago.

In his radio/television address on 24th December last year after his agreement with MMA, he had said: ``After giving it serious thought, I have decided to give up my uniform before Dec 31, 2004, for creating political harmony in the country. I will select the date myself within this period.``

Now he says the circumstances have changed since then and he may have to eat his words. If that were the case then there would be no more any sanctity of one’s word, a pledge or a promise. Any body would say something one day and change his/her position the next day citing the ‘change of circumstances’. There would be no honor in keeping one’s word and no shame in breaking one!

That is exactly the kind of rulers and role models the country of 150 million people is bestowed with! No wonder we are where we are - and what we are – a people without much honor and self-respect -- even less so in the eyes of the world!

Well, well. So far we have been suffering under A K Brohi’s ‘law of necessity’ now Musharrafian ‘lie of necessity’ will additionally torment us, haunt us, shackle us and make us lose whatever little self-esteem some of us may still have left deep inside our souls. What would psychoanalysts say of such citizenry? And what would be the fate of a country populated by wooden men, lowly creatures and corpuses ruled by dictators and despots?

May not be that hard to figure out!

Regards

When Balochistan bleeds, Why Pakistan Doesn’t Feel the Pain?

#204 HP: It is true that Baloch sardars have bled Balochistan as much as the various central governments. I think that can be applied to some other parts of the country too where feudals, khans, sardars and others have been in control. That is the so-called elite class in Pakistan. Armed forces` officers, industrialists and businessmen have also joined the club to leech the masses.

But what you and other members of the forum think of the newly announced Senate committee on Balochistan? Do you think it will bring any good?

I doubt it. Most of the problems are related to true democracy and provincial autonomy. Today Pakistan is being ruled under a highly centralized system - worst form of the `One Unit`. Military has usurped most of the powers that belong to the people and the provinces.

As we all know the military is a big enterprise in the country now. It is in business and in industry. It has occupied almost all the higher level and even many of the middle and lower level positions in the government, semi-government and other sectors. Will they let go any of it to accommodate civilians? Doesn`t Pakistan deserve a little better than being an armed forces` estate? Shouldn`t armed forces go back to barracks never to be seen by the civilians? Shouldn`t the political wings of the intelligence agencies be done away with?

Please consider how Pakistan can establish itself as a modern country where all the people have equal opportunities, equal education and equal rights. Where no one has sole claim to patriotism and all the citizens are truly equal. No more, no less.

When Balochistan bleeds, Why Pakistan Doesn’t Feel the Pain?

#201 HP: I agree with your analysis.

As news reports say Mr. Attaullah Mengal has already held two meetings with higher-ups in Islamabad. Third high-level meeting is to be held soon. After the second meeting it was indicated that the government is putting on hold (or slowing down) its work on cantonments until further talks.

Musharraf’s point man Tariq Aziz who met Mr Mengal in Islamabad has already held a meeting with Bugti. He may soon go to Karachi to meet Mr K.B. Mari.

It is also reported that Jamhoori Watan Parti, Balochistan National Party, National Party and K.B. Mari’s group have jointly presented a 35-point agends to the government for talks. The government has asked Baloch leaders to present names to form a committee to hold talks.

Lets see what happens. One only hopes they will come to a resolution through talks that will bring good news for the common men, not the ‘elites’.

And yes, we haven’t seen much about Dr Abdul Hai Baloch in press.

Here I quote interaction by someone from Balochistan who has just signed as ‘Baloch’ at a similar discussion on satribune. I don’t know who he is but readers of this forum may know few things about the present resistance movement in Balochistan and its connection with ‘sardars’.

Here he goes:

“Some of you might be interested in knowing a Baloch` perspective about Mr. Mengal.

”Mr. Ataullah Mengal is the leader of one of the biggest Baloch tribes i.e. Mengal. He is one of those who Pakistani minds have been taught to hate as the people behind everything that goes wrong in Balochistan. He was the first cheif minister of Balochistan in 1971. The Government lasted for ten months. One of the accusations put forth by the Federal Government to justify the sacking of the mengal government was that they were planning to secede away from Pakistan. Mengal, alonwith other Baloch leaders, were put in jail. The Baloch insurgency of 70s started after that. After being released from jail in 1978, he left for london, stayed there for a long time. Recently, he came back, and is currently being the spokeman for Baloch liberation forces.

”Mr. Mengal lacks the credibility with the Baloch forces. He has the tendency to compromise with the establishment. If he was given a choice, he would not believe in the miliary route for liberation of Balochistan.

”What most of the commentators do not know is that this insurgency is neither for the cheifs, nor by the cheifs. This is an independent movement, having links in the Baloch sardarless middle class. The sardars (Mengal, bugti and marri) can no longer enter a Baloch household, without being asked by angry gaze of the Baloch; `what has happened to us?`. They know very well if they oppose or obstruct the Baloch movement this time, there is no place that they can go.

”We actually consider these cheifs responsible for the defeat of Baloch forces in 70s. They chose to compromise, instead of fighting and dying. Most of you know that Mr. Bugti actually worked against the Baloch forces in 70s. But now, he has no choice but to side with them.

”Mr. Mengal or other cheifs can `say` whatever they want, as long as it is what the Baloch forces want to say. He and his ilk no longer control the destiny of baloch. This time, we will not be compromised by a few chiefs.”

Here is what he says about Mr. Khair Bux Mari:

“Thanks for asking. Nawab Marri is my personal favorite. He is the one who has preferred to remain alone, and not get into ministerial posts like nawab Bugti, or Sardar Mengal. Recently, he had given a lecture at Bolan Medical college at a BSO seminar. Talking about his return from Afghanistan, he said that he was expecting stones, and tomatos from Baloch public for letting them down, but he was greeted with garlands. For which he said, `why was i forgiven? Why wasn`t i held accountable for all my misdeeds?` Someone who has the guts so say this can only be my hero. Some say BLA is his creation. Nobody knows yet, but we know that he is sympathetic to our cause, and will not be the one who will watch , and let us die.

”Having said that, he still is a nawab. And we have no room for nawabs as our leaders. Elders? yes, but not leaders.

”Sher Mohammad Marri is one of our tallest figures. His voice was known as the roar of the lion. At the times of his death in 1993, he was very disappointed. Recently his young grandson died in Quetta, because he couldn`t be admitted in the hospital at the right time.

”Dear zorgon, yes, most of the public considers these nawabs, and sardars as self-serving. See, they have been on the stage for last 30+ years, and nothing has changed except their wealth. It is really hard for people to trust them, time and again. And by the way, none of them are against armed revolt. They just want to have the control of it, but we are not going to provide it to them.

”These nawabs have been trusted so many times. Baloch fought and died for them in 70s, and even today, but we know that they were always looking for compromises. Not for Nawab Marri, but in case of Mr. Mengal, he still talks about rights `within` Pakistan, which is not any longer acceptable to us.

”We know that Mr. Mengal, Mr. Marri, and Mr. Bugti are not the monsters, responsible for all the miseries of the Baloch, that pakistan wants us to see them as, But they definitely are not saints.”