Newfound neutrality
THE elephant in the room was the army’s role in politics, and the response was predictable. Neutral is the way it is going to be, so it is claimed. Before that came up, however, newly appointed DG ISPR Maj Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry in his maiden presser talked at length about security-related issues. Among these, he listed the military’s successes in anti-terror operations, saying that the army and LEAs had carried out 8,269 intelligence-based operations during 2022 in which 1,378 suspected terrorists were taken into custody and 157 were killed.
Significantly, given the public uproar over what had been a plan to ‘mainstream’ TTP militants in KP’s tribal districts, he distanced his institution from the previous government’s initiative of holding talks with the banned group. Gen Chaudhry also spoke about the evolving militant landscape following the US exit from Afghanistan and said that TTP and Baloch insurgents were working together to sabotage peace in Balochistan and KP.
The question-and-answer session provided the opening for the DG ISPR to say that relations between a sitting government and the army were apolitical but constitutional in nature and that the army did not support the ideology of any party and respected all parties. What was said should be a statement of the obvious in any democracy. But when former army chief Gen Qamar Bajwa admitted that the army has been meddling in politics for almost the entirety of Pakistan’s existence, he was articulating what everyone had known for a long time: the military had either been ruling directly or pulling the strings from behind the scenes, making and breaking governments, manipulating poll results, engineering alliances, etc.
However, it will take much more than assertions to convince a sceptical public of the security establishment’s newfound neutrality, a consequence of the unprecedented criticism it was exposed to after the unravelling of its hybrid experiment.
Unfortunately, a number of developments have strengthened suspicions of continued interference. The cascade of audio leaks, for example, is obviously calculated to compromise certain individuals and shape the political landscape in a particular way. Everyone is well aware of which hidden hand has the most advanced capabilities for electronic surveillance. Other moves such as the ‘reunification’ of the various MQM factions and the PSP — which could impact politics in Karachi — under the stewardship of a recent, lateral entrant in the MQM ranks, also seems forced rather than organic.
So unconvincing is this ‘apoliticality’ that even the prospect of martial law has not receded. On the contrary, even a seasoned politician such as Shahid Khaqan Abbasi recently warned that the prevailing situation in the country is ripe for a military intervention. The army will have to walk the walk, not only talk the talk.
Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2023
Monkeypox alert
AS the Covid-19 pandemic has taught us, health emergencies can have a devastating economic and social impact, along with other negative effects, on human lives and well-being, which is why states must always be on the alert to keep infectious diseases at bay. According to recent reports, at least two cases of monkeypox have been reported in the country; the patients were diagnosed after flying in from Saudi Arabia. While there is no need to panic, the detection of the cases should prompt the health authorities to step up surveillance of incoming passengers at airports as well as border crossings, while contact tracing needs to be proactively carried out. Though monkeypox is not deadly in many cases, it can make people very sick, and as the WHO points out, children, pregnant women and people with weak immune systems “are at risk from complications” related to the disease. The infection is contagious, and can spread through personal contact and infected animals, as well as by sharing contaminated materials. Last year, outbreaks were reported, primarily in Europe and the Americas, causing thousands of infections and over 100 deaths.
The authorities should be concentrating on contact tracing and isolation at this point to prevent further spread of the ailment. The fairly successful experience of dealing with the Covid outbreak should be utilised in the case of monkeypox. But, in a related development, the state is considering shutting down an Rs88bn health programme designed to deal with emergencies, epidemics and natural calamities. The Covid-19 response programme is facing the axe apparently due to “poor implementation” by the provinces. While the economic situation may warrant cost-cutting, public health programmes — particularly those that are supposed to deal with epidemics and natural disasters — should be exempted, especially if funds have already been earmarked. If there are capacity issues, they can be addressed through training, the implementation of best practices, oversight etc. Shutting down an entire health programme is not the answer. Globalisation and the emergence of new strains of infectious diseases means that the next epidemic may not be too far away. The global MERS, SARS, and Covid health crises all support this position. Pakistan, instead of cutting back spending on its already weak health infrastructure, must strengthen it and prepare to deal with emerging and established threats to public health.
Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2023
No more zoos
THE culpability of the Karachi Zoo authorities in the suffering and death of Noor Jehan, one of the two African elephants at the facility, is beyond any doubt. It seems equally clear that they have refused to learn any lessons. No inquiry has been announced into the negligence that led to the young animal’s death. Consider the multiple missteps. First, there was no attempt to seek timely intervention for her medical condition. Second, the Four Paws International team that was finally permitted to visit and treat Noor Jehan had cautioned upon leaving that she was an intensive care patient requiring 24-hour monitoring. Despite this, she was left unsupervised resulting in a fall which ultimately proved fatal. Calls for closing the zoo had been gaining traction. However, instead of stocktaking, a cavalier self-confidence is on display. The zoo director has expressed a wish to bring the facility in line with international standards and bring in more exotic species like big cats and giraffes to the zoo.
If reform seemed possible, it may have been an option. However, zoos in Pakistan have proven entirely inept. Inappropriate diet, insufficient exercise, lack of a stimulating environment, not to mention mistreatment, are just some of the problems that have been repeatedly highlighted. Several animals have perished as a result. The story of Kaavan, the elephant that was once languishing at Islamabad Zoo and now lives a species-appropriate life at a Cambodian sanctuary, is the only bright spot in this sorry saga. The educational value of zoos for children is not reason enough to justify keeping wild animals captive in conditions of pain and misery. Talks about creating an elephant sanctuary are underway with Four Paws International — who are experts in the field — where the three remaining African elephants in Karachi can be kept. It is essential that civil society representatives with experience in animal welfare be included in the planning and management of the facility.
Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2023