IT is the season of protests in Pakistan, but these public gatherings couldn’t have come at a more problematic time. Citizens crushed by food inflation, gas and power crises and the general sluggishness of an economic slowdown are seething with anger — so much so that they are prepared to flout prevention protocols and take to the streets even as Covid-19 cases climb.
Yesterday, the PPP hosted the second rally under the PDM banner in Karachi where crowds congregated to protest and also to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the Oct 18, 2007, attack in the city. Prior to that, the PDM power show in Gujranwala saw thousands packed at a stadium for long hours. Even earlier, the Karachi Ulema Committee protested in the city against the killing of Maulana Adil. In Islamabad, thousands of government employees from various departments all over the country staged a sit-in last week to protest against the price hike and ‘anti-employee policies’ of the government. Along with the public, the political parties, too, are under pressure as they view the pre-Senate election period before March as their ‘do or die’ moment.
While there is no doubt that these citizens and political parties are coming out due to genuine concerns and that they are exercising their democratic right to protest, the pandemic and its devastating consequences cannot be ignored. Here, both opposition party leaders and the government have to show responsibility.
At the opposition rallies, most leaders themselves are not wearing masks, nor asking their workers to wear them. With such blatant disregard for Covid-19 SOPs, it is only inevitable that these occasions will be superspreader events and put thousands of people at risk.
The government through its policies and demeanour has alienated both its political opponents and ordinary people, both of whom seem to have decided that the ongoing economic and political crisis is a bigger threat than the coronavirus that has wreaked havoc in many countries.
It is a difficult time but it will become more dangerous if the government and political leaders continue to ignore the threat posed by the virus. The positivity rate is the highest since August; health workers and hospital staff are once again beginning to feel the pressure of increased hospitalisations. The public’s grievances, anger and frustration notwithstanding, these mammoth gatherings of people standing next to each other, and not wearing masks cannot continue.
The government must provide relief to the people and engage with the opposition for the greater public good. Being tone deaf and combative will only make things worse: the winter months are approaching and could spell disaster, especially for those with respiratory illnesses, given the increasing Covid-19 cases. Better sense must prevail among the political leaders in this country across party lines.
Agriculture woes
PAKISTAN’S agriculture sector has been in distress for a very long time owing to poor policies and official neglect. This is reflected in dwindling crop yields, decreasing farm incomes and increasing rural poverty and food prices. Consequently, the share of agriculture in the national GDP has diminished to 19pc from 27pc in the last two decades. Hence, when Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhr Imam blames past governments for having neglected this important sector it is difficult to disagree with him. But the question is: what has stopped the present administration from revamping the sector and reforming official agriculture policies to tackle the issues it has been facing? The sad fact is that the government has shown little interest thus far in working out a long-term solution to factors impeding the growth of agriculture supply chains. It has preferred the usual short-term approach of handing out untargeted subsidies that seldom reach the smallholders who work almost 90pc of the arable land, and pursuing crop procurement policies that have thrown the private sector out of competition and discouraged farmers from shifting to value-added crops. Mr Imam’s claim that the government is working on policies for the development of agriculture in order to create an environment in which farmers get a fair return on their produce remains to be tested.
Multiple factors are to blame for diminishing agricultural productivity. These include uncertain irrigation water availability, unpredictable weather patterns, underdeveloped cold storage facilities, low investments in extension services and research, rising input costs, and lack of fiscal and policy incentives for farmers to adapt to new technology-based farm practices. Surprisingly, unlike other crops, rice yields have more than trebled in the last few years because of investments by the private sector in hybrid rice technology, resulting in additional income for rice farmers in Sindh and Punjab and an increase of more than $1bn in export revenues. This indicates that the government could revive the agriculture sector by investing in research, involving the private sector in supply chains, promoting use of modern technology and helping farmers adapt to international farm practices. Agriculture is still the mainstay of Pakistan’s economy as it employs over 40pc of the workforce, provides raw materials for more than two-thirds of merchandise exports, and can help eradicate poverty and end hunger besides ensuring food security. Further neglect of the sector will have huge consequences for both farmers and the economy.
Accessible Pakistan
PAKISTAN’S first smart road for visually impaired people was inaugurated in Attock on Thursday. The 500-metre-long road will start from Main Road and lead up to the Blind School, which will undoubtedly make the journey of many students easier. The recently launched Peshawar BRT, too, includes separate tracks and ramps for people with disabilities. Both these examples highlight an effort to create more inclusive and accessible spaces for differently abled citizens, and must be replicated in other government and privately owned establishments, given that a large number of Pakistanis live with some form of disability, though the exact figure is contested.
Earlier in August, the Supreme Court ordered government officials to refrain from using words which could appear offensive to people living with disabilities, including ‘disabled’, ‘physically handicapped’ and ‘mentally retarded’, since such language perpetuates stigma. And in July, in an 11-page report, the apex court ordered the federal and provincial governments to ensure that people living with disabilities receive their due rights in employment, and are provided special facilities in public spaces and transport. The present PTI government, in particular, has announced a number of benefits for people living with disabilities, including free medical treatment at hospitals registered under the Sehat Insaf card scheme, along with the provision of free wheelchairs and white canes. Despite some gains made in recent years, however, there is a long road ahead in ensuring people living with disabilities lead lives of dignity, free from infrastructural and societal barriers, including prejudices about their competence. Unfortunately, the differently abled are far too often overlooked and do not receive due representation in public life. During the elections of 2018, for instance, people with disabilities reported difficulties in getting to the polling stations and casting their votes due to the lack of arrangements. Better legislation is needed; a step in that direction was taken with the passage of the ICT Rights of Persons with Disability Bill, 2020, last month.
Correction: The original version of this editorial mentioned that the ICT Rights of Persons with Disability Bill, 2020, had lapsed in May. However, the bill was passed in a joint session of parliament last month. The oversight is regretted.
