Conservation call
IN a heartwarming rescue mission, the Kaghan Development Authority recently saved 40,000 snow trout which had gotten trapped in a tributary of the Kunhar River due to rising water levels. Thanks to the swift action of the KDA workers, who cleared a path for these magnificent creatures, the trout were able to return to the main Kunhar River to swim upstream. While this is an encouraging display of dedication to our natural heritage, it serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for conservation efforts in Pakistan. The Kaghan Valley is not only rich in natural beauty but also boasts a remarkable diversity of flora and fauna, including the endangered snow leopard, a symbol of our region’s biodiversity. Its survival is threatened by climate change as it navigates changing landscapes. Similarly, the Indus blind dolphin, unique to Pakistan’s waters, faces numerous threats, from habitat degradation, to fishing and net entanglement incidents, to pollution, and to even being killed by ignorant people.
However, these species are not alone in their struggle. Pakistan is home to several endangered species like the houbara bustard, markhor, and pangolin, all facing threats like habitat loss, hunting, poaching, and climate-induced changes. Moreover, our mangroves, vital coastal ecosystems, are also under threat. Rising sea levels and human activities endanger these critical habitats, further emphasising the urgency of conservation efforts. Climate change poses a grave challenge to these species as it disrupts ecosystems and forces them to adapt or perish. Rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and habitat shifts make survival a daily battle. While the rescue of the snow trout is a positive development, we must not rest on our laurels. Conservation efforts — most importantly, awareness campaigns — must be intensified to protect biodiversity. Let this rescue mission ignite renewed determination to safeguard our irreplaceable natural heritage. Our responsibility extends beyond a single rescue; it is a lifelong commitment to preserving the diverse species that make Pakistan’s natural world extraordinary.
Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2023
Kurram violence
A FRESH round of bloodletting has again affected routine life in KP’s Kurram district. The trigger for the latest deadly clashes is reportedly a controversial video said to contain sectarian content. Long-running land disputes have also fuelled tensions. Meanwhile, arguments of any nature quickly take on an ugly sectarian colour in this sensitive region. Going by different sources, the number of those killed in the clashes appears to be between nine and 20. Security forces have moved in and local-level jirgas are trying to defuse the situation. This is the third major violent episode in Kurram this year. A number of people, including several teachers, were gunned down in May, while deadly violence flared up in July over contested parcels of land. Those familiar with the region say that an official land commission was due to issue its ruling when the latest round of hostilities broke out.
The problem in Kurram, a former tribal agency bordering Afghanistan, is that the state only reacts to violence. This keeps the lid on underlying tensions for a brief period, then disputes explode at the slightest provocation. A long-term solution is needed to bring a more durable peace to this troubled area. It should involve the state, tribal elders as well as the clergy, as all these actors have the power to help address the root causes of violence. Where land disputes are concerned, judicious decisions must be reached and accepted by all so that the region can move ahead. Where sectarian problems are concerned, clerics in particular should put in extra efforts to douse the flames if disputes of a communal nature occur. Given the nature of sectarian tensions, these can spread very quickly and affect communal peace in the rest of Pakistan. That is why the state must be alert and keep a vigilant eye on those who seek to disturb communal stability. In this regard, sectarian polemics on social media can spread like wildfire. All it takes is one troublemaker with a smartphone to cause great havoc. While censorship is undesirable, the state must work with tech firms to identify and disable accounts involved in spreading hate material and promoting violence, while legal proceedings against the culprits are also necessary. And in case such material does go viral — as often happens — the clerics and community elders must step in to cool tempers.
Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2023
In waiting
WITH the Election Commission seemingly committed to holding elections by the last week of January, it is puzzling that the political parties still appear to be showing little interest or initiative in preparing for the exercise.
One unconfirmed report in a local daily, published this Saturday, has even claimed that the ECP has set aside Sunday, Jan 28 for the general election, and is expected to inform the Supreme Court accordingly.
While the published claim was not substantiated by the ECP — which has publicly taken the position that an official date can only be announced once final delimitations have been notified — it nonetheless appears to be a reasonable target for political parties to plan around.
This gives the parties less than three months to finalise and announce their manifestos, launch their campaigns, interview candidates and issue tickets, and also to start mobilising their cadres to prepare voters for the big day.
Three months is not a lot of time, yet our politicians seem unable to shake out of their languor.
What do they know or suspect that is preventing them from going into election mode? Where are their workers’ conventions, corner meetings and rallies? Where are the conspiracy theories and the wheeling and dealing that provide an endless stream of political commentary before every election?
The entire system seems to be suffering from some form of self-inflicted paralysis, waiting for something to give. One could conjecture from the inaction that, despite the ECP’s assurances, the parties don’t truly believe elections are around the corner.
This uncertainty may be what is preventing them from opening their war chests and launching their campaigns in earnest. Campaigns do end up burning a lot of cash and no party would want to start spending before it knows for certain its ‘investments’ will not go to waste.
However, what our political leaders seem to be overlooking is the possibility that if they start moving according to the timeline the ECP has provided, the pressure to hold the much-delayed elections within the provided time frame will automatically start to build.
It will become much more difficult for the authorities to back out — if that is the fear — when political parties have already sunk their resources into the process. In such a scenario, the latter would resist and take action if their legitimate interests in the upcoming elections were threatened by any further delay.
Therefore, it is not as if the only choice available to the parties is to wait. A grave injustice has already been done by the repeated violation of constitutional deadlines for elections.
Continuing to repeat the ‘it is entirely up to the ECP to set a date’ fallacy will only make parties culpable in denying the people their right to elect a government.
Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2023