Gruesome killings
WHILE the separatist insurgency in Balochistan may be in a low phase, the gruesome murders of four workers and a policeman in Kech district, early on Tuesday, comes as a grim reminder that the situation in Pakistan’s largest province is far from normal. Unidentified gunmen stormed a police station in the Nasirabad area near Turbat and opened indiscriminate fire, mowing down four labourers originally hailing from Punjab, as well as a police officer. The unfortunate labourers, who had been working at a government construction site, were sleeping in the police station as a security precaution. In a similar incident last month, six workers, also hailing from Punjab, were murdered in Turbat. While no claim has been made regarding the latest atrocity, several such incidents have occurred over the past few years, with Baloch separatist outfits involved.
If one cannot find shelter in a police station, is any place in Balochistan safe? While there can be no justification for such ghastly crimes, the state has made things worse by failing to address the root causes of disaffection and militancy in Balochistan. The current Baloch insurgency is nearly two decades old, and while levels of violence have fluctuated, the state has failed to adopt a strategy to end the violence. There are superficial offers made now and then inviting the ‘angry’ Baloch to the table; a similar offer was made last week by the province’s caretaker home minister. Yet none of these endeavours gets off the ground, perhaps because there is a ‘democratic deficit’ in the province. It is no secret that political and administrative activities in Balochistan are tightly controlled by the powers that be. Unless this changes and leaders freely chosen by the people are allowed to steer the ship, matters will remain the same. Moreover, unless the fruits of development fully reach the people of Balochistan, such atrocious crimes will continue to take place, as the state struggles to react.
Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2023
Lahore’s air emergency
LAHORE awakened once more on Tuesday to a thick veil of smog, an unwelcome annual guest that refuses to leave. Its residents have been living with hazardous air quality, with the city often earning the dubious distinction of being the world’s most polluted. Despite the government’s effort to combat the problem, the situation remains dire. An Air Quality Index reading of 439 recorded early Tuesday makes evident the severity of the issue. To put things into perspective, an AQI below 50 is considered safe for breathing. Of late, Lahore’s AQI has consistently remained several times above the threshold, plunging its citizens into perpetual health and environmental jeopardy. Alarmed by the deteriorating situation, the Lahore High Court yesterday ordered the city administration to impose an emergency. This sinister shroud, often blamed on meteorological conditions, is at its core a man-made crisis with far-reaching consequences. Air pollution from vehicular emissions, industrial processes, construction projects and solid fuel use are all contributors. Farmers who burn crop residues post-harvest further exacerbate the problem. Industrial emissions and construction dust are also instrumental in smog formation. Furthermore, weather patterns, especially stagnant air during winter and temperature inversions, worsen the situation by trapping pollutants near the ground. New Delhi, situated across the border from Lahore, faces a similar environmental crisis with near-identical causal factors, which adds to the problem.
The authorities have not been idle, having recently established an anti-smog monitoring cell. Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa has issued stringent orders, including water sprinkling on roads, crackdowns on stubble burning, and checks on brick kilns. Special teams are dispatched to industrial areas, and emissions control systems are being enforced. Traffic police are utilising Safe City cameras to take action against vehicles emitting smoke. Over 1,090 kilns have adopted zigzag technology, pyrolysis plants have been shut down, and cases have been registered against crop residue burning, besides penalties imposed on vehicles and kilns. Section 144 is in effect across the division, banning practices that contribute to smog. While these actions are commendable, it is crucial to recognise that the smog crisis demands a comprehensive and sustained response. The government must continue to intensify its efforts, enforce regulations rigorously, and engage in long-term strategies to mitigate the root causes of this crisis. The health and well-being of Lahore’s citizens and the environment they inhabit depend on it.
Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2023
No respite
TODAY, Nov 2, is observed worldwide as the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists. It is a day when attention turns to the extreme pressures and injustices journalists face in the line of duty. The context in which it will be observed this year in Pakistan is quite grim.
On the eve of the occasion, Absar Alam, former chief of the country’s electronic media regulator, made a damning statement before the Supreme Court alleging that a senior ISI officer, as well as his subordinates, attempted to control and coerce the media through Pemra during Mr Alam’s tenure.
The tactics employed included reducing the visibility of TV channels that refused to toe the state’s line and seeking penalties against TV commentators who were critical of the state.
There are many in the industry who will attest to the fact that the climate of repression that prevailed during retired Lt-Gen Faiz Hameed’s time at ISI’s helm was one of the worst experienced by Pakistani media. The former spy chief gained notoriety for pressuring Pakistani media in ways never seen or heard before, including with direct threats.
His methods were unusually brutish. At one point, he vowed to ‘destroy’ this publication and made good on that threat by blocking Dawn’s circulation and advertisements.
Access to Dawn’s sister television channel, DawnNews, was repeatedly disrupted in connivance with cable operators across the country. Other news outlets, such as Geo News, faced persecution in very similar ways.
The financial consequences for ordinary journalists working in these organisations were immense and painful to bear. Unfortunately, Gen Hameed’s tactics seem to have found enduring favour under the present regime as well.
All of the Pakistani media’s challenges can obviously not be attributed to one individual or institution. The government’s lack of commitment to journalists’ protection deserves equal blame.
Though Pakistan became the first country to enact laws for the protection of journalists under the PTI, the Freedom Network noted this week that it has failed to mitigate the prevalence of crimes against journalists despite doing so.
Eleven journalists have been slain since the law was passed, while journalists continue to face kidnapping, physical assault and harassment through legal cases. The data available shows that no place in the country is safe for journalists anymore — not even the federal capital.
Everywhere, journalists are being targeted for their work with impunity. No murder or disappearance seems to be adequately investigated, and the perpetrators are, therefore, never brought to book. This culture of impunity is what allows the cycle of violence to repeat itself.
It is unlikely to stop till the federal and provincial governments provide more means and resources to the various bodies set up to look after journalists’ rights and protect them from violence. They must act now.
Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2023