Urea shortage
IT is the time of the year when urea fertiliser vanishes from the market, and wheat growers are forced to pay a significantly high premium on top of its notified price to procure the chemical. No wonder farmers from every corner of the country are complaining about the increasing shortage of urea and its inflated price, amid reports of hoarding by distributors and dealers. That urea retailers are demanding at least Rs1,000 per 50kg above the notified retail price is not surprising, because no wheat farmer can afford to have a shrivelled output just because he did not use the fertiliser. It is well-known that the inadequate application of urea can threaten the already fragile food security. Some media reports suggest that growers from parts of the country have to use political connections to purchase a few bags of urea even from the black market.
A report in this newspaper has quoted a farmer as saying that the country is facing a supply deficit of around 0.5m tonne for the entire calendar year of 2023 due to a shortfall of nearly 0.3m tonne in local production and the government’s failure to import 0.2m tonne of the commodity to stabilise domestic prices, contrary to a decision by the ECC in summer. The gap in supply has given black marketers an excellent opportunity to fleece farmers, especially smallholders who require just a few bags, at a time when they need it very badly. The black market of fertilisers in Pakistan, as well as arbitrary pricing, is indeed a function of mismatch between demand and supply. However, poor market governance also encourages unscrupulous elements to create artificial shortages so that they can make quick bucks during the winter crop cycle when urea demand peaks. The recurrence of the crisis year after year shows that our policymakers are not ready to learn anything from the past to correct the future course.
Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2023
Careless remarks
WHAT prompted the caretaker interior minister to sound a public alarm over the country’s political leadership facing terrorist threats? What reason could there be for casting doubt on the safety of civilians who attend political gatherings right when parties are about to launch their campaigns for the next general election? The memory of Benazir Bhutto’s tragic demise is still very fresh, and the horror of what followed has been etched forever in the collective memory. Just last year, there was a failed bid on former prime minister Imran Khan’s life. Many other political leaders have been targeted by terrorists in the past; the interior minister himself helpfully dropped a few names. He should really have known better. Going public with such disturbing thoughts rarely has net positive effects. True, the security threats discussed by Interior Minister Sarfaraz Bugti may well be present. However, if there are any, it is the job of the minister and the security agencies to deal with it quietly, decisively and without giving the broader citizenry reason to panic, and to privately inform politicians whom they consider to be at risk and ensure their safety during poll campaigns. In this, Mr Bugti failed to live up to his responsibilities.
It was particularly concerning to see Mr Bugti speak of the vulnerability of public rallies and political gatherings with such nonchalance. He should be clear that if any harm befalls the citizenry in any such incident, the buck stops with him. The fault never lies with the people who ‘didn’t listen’ to the state’s ‘warning’, but with the state which failed to ensure its citizens’ security. The citizenry pays taxes so that the state can raise security forces and law-enforcement agencies for their safety. If these forces cannot do their job, there is no reason to expect the public to provide for their upkeep. Mr Bugti, therefore, should not be allowed to wash his hands of the matter by simply sounding the alarm. Since he has acknowledged that threats are present, he should ensure that the armed forces, paramilitaries and LEAs are working overtime to neutralise them. Perhaps he should also provide weekly updates about the progress his ministry is making towards this end. It may be the only way he can assure the people that he is hard at work at his job.
Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2023
Liberties lost
AS Pakistan marks Human Rights Day today, it confronts a troubling panorama of human rights violations. Rights bodies, local and international, have consistently drawn attention to the country’s abysmal record but to no avail.
Despite constitutional guarantees, the reality for many Pakistanis is a pervasive sense of insecurity. The use of enforced disappearances as a tool against dissent is particularly alarming. With at least 2,210 unresolved cases, the state’s role in these disappearances paints a picture of repression.
The failure to enact legislation criminalising enforced disappearances, despite repeated attempts, suggests a lack of political will at the highest levels. The cases of journalists Nafees Naeem, Arsalan Khan, Imran Riaz and Baloch student Bebagr Imdad, who were all abducted — some for months — and later released, highlight a disturbing trend of targeting critical voices.
Some progress was made, with safety laws for journalists passed first by the Sindh Assembly followed by the National Assembly in late 2021, but their implementation remains a distant dream. The curtailing of freedom of assembly and expression is another area of grave concern. The authorities’ use of force to disperse peaceful protests, and the intimidation and arbitrary detention of protesters, all indicate shrinking space for civil liberties.
Religious intolerance continues to ignite violence, with blasphemy allegations leading to the lynching of both minorities and Muslims. The Supreme Court’s warnings against the misuse of blasphemy laws are welcome, yet much more is needed to protect the vulnerable from societal prejudices.
Violence against women remains a pervasive issue. While the conviction of Zahir Jaffer for the murder of Noor Mukadam is a significant step, systemic changes are crucial for addressing the broader issue of gender-based violence. The lack of enactment of the Domestic Violence Bill speaks volumes about the state’s failure to uphold women’s rights.
The rights of transgender individuals, despite legal recognition, continue to be ignored. The challenge to the Transgender Rights Act and the continued violence against this community reveal deep-seated societal and institutional biases. Torture and custodial deaths remain unchecked, and the passage of the Torture and Custodial Death Act, while a positive development, requires rigorous enforcement.
This bleak landscape of human rights is reflective of a deeper malaise affecting the country’s democratic fabric. The manipulation of democratic processes, the establishment’s shadow over political life, and the selective application of justice all contribute to an environment where human rights are easily trampled upon.
As Pakistan prepares for national elections, it is imperative that these issues are brought to the forefront. The protection of human rights is not just a moral obligation but a prerequisite for a stable and functioning democracy. On this Human Rights Day, let Pakistan recommit itself to these ideals, not just in rhetoric but in concrete actions
Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2023