The temperatures in Pakistan broke all records in March 2010 and it support the argument that climate is changing due to global warming. Pakistan faced with poor governance is equally facing reduced river flows on its allocated three western rivers due to building of Hydro Electric Dams across the border, thus reduced power generation and scarcity of water for crops in Pakistan and massive load shedding.
It was Saturday the 3rd April, 2010 at Avari Tower, when Indian High Commissioner H.E. Sharat Sabharwal was invited as a Chief Guest along-with his team by Karachi Council on Foreign Relations, a think tank to deliberate on Indus water treaty, which is considered as inherent conflict between the two neighbours, due to building of Baglihar Dam followed by Kishanganga, Sawalkot, Pakuldul, Bursar, Dal Huste, Gyspa and many more on the drawing boards. Pakistan had expressed its reservation on these dams within the mechanism provided to resolve disputes in Indus water treaty and our media has rightly educated masses ventilating views from both sides of divide.
The Honourable High Commissioner who is soft and pleasant spoke with the help of slides, justifying position of his Government on the issue, like many liberal enlightened Indian Analyst of repute discarding genuine grievances and vulnerability of Pakistan as reported in media. India being upper riparian has all the options available to their discretion. After the deliberation there was interactive Q&A session and very searching questions were asked by Pakistani intellectuals, which were responded diplomatically with the typical mind set on the issue barring technical questions, which the High Commissioner avoided.
I, queried about the environmental pollution being caused by India due to burning of coal and fossil fuels as I reminded him that prior to Copenhagen a environment conference was held at Khatmandu where serious concerns were raised by Scientist that after US, India and China are the biggest polluters and noxious clouds are hovering on Tibetan plateau and catchments areas of our rivers, so is the issue of melting glaciers and changing weather pattern in South East Asia and rising sea temperatures.
I reminded him that Maldive is sinking, thus it is incumbent upon India to arrest the emissions and compensate the masses suffering due to massive industrialisation in India, and pumping of untreated sewerage in Arabian sea and Bay of Bengal disturbing the ecological balance and marine life. The answer was sweet, soft and brief that economic developments has a cost, so bear it.
A very interesting article captioned "War or peace on Indus" by John Briscoe is a must read for those who wish to educate themselves on Indus water treaty. The writer has made independent analysis of the issue and has definitely presented Pakistan's case much better than our Government could. The writer has proposed conflict resolution and I feel that Indian and Pakistani both give due weight-age to the solution offered, enable resolve the issue based on dictum 'Aman Ki Asha'.
The water issue is a matter of life and death due to increasing population of Pakistan said to be 2.6% of GDP, thus more water will be needed. The major fear is global warming thus both countries must jointly work on conservation arresting seepage and management of water resources. We may jointly study the resolution of disputes on the pattern of Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay as suggested by John in his write up, that India is driving the train, thus change may start in India.
The world masses pinned much of their hope on Copenhagen Summit after failure of signing and implementation of Koyoto protocol in 1997 but the two weeks of talks meant for "make and break of the planet, resulted in compromise political consensus that set no target for cutting emissions, however now we are looking forward for post consultative rounds one year from now in Mexcico where it is hoped that some targets may be fixed to save the planet and posterity both. I would strongly recommend that India and Pakistan must resolve the issues for the benefit of mankind on both sides of the divide. As a maritime professional, I can proudly acclaim that Shipping Industry, which moves 90% of World trade, yet accounts for just 2.7% total global CO2 emissions. It is the shore based people who as per IMO statistics are big polluters causing 92% of Marine pollution by pumping untreated sewerage into sea.
Let India and Pakistan may join hands in combating climate change, resolving issues on table related to Indus water treaty and respecting the rights of lower riparian for the sake of posterity and peace but peace only on all issues, as masses on both ends of divide are poverty stricken and can't afford the luxury of future conflicts. Let's learn to live as good neighbours and it will only be possible with mass contact.
The High Commissioner was feted along with his better half and his team to a sumptuous dinner at Karachi Boat Club on Sunday the 4th by Pakistan/India citizen forum and I must admit that he and his team are neither hawkish nor dove but remained firm on their policy without any aggressive posture. The High Commissioner has promised to visit Karachi in June again. I sincerely hope that ice may melt and India may release some water in Eastern rivers at least for drinking purposes to give a kick start towards building confidence.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
The great parliamentary comedy of the year
I recall BBC 4 Radio Broad-casting parliamentary jokes, but with grace. Due to lack of adequate academics, some of our legislators seldom talk in Parliament, but most of the people vocalise themselves in yelling and screaming, if you speak loudest, you may give the best rips to other and let the opponent feel inferior.
It is interesting to read L. Vencent Poupard "The humour to be found when watching British parliament" and TV show "Yes Minister" etc, but no one, ever stoops down to lowest pedestal or commits academic frauds. Democracy is said to be best form of government, although it is not a perfect system of Governance, as the case in Pakistan where, unfortunately, illiterate masses, without checking the credentials of the leaders vote for them on the basis of creed, caste or be it ethnic affiliation or sympathy factor.
The poor results of bad governance for the last 2 years are obvious, when statistics are benchmarked. It sends shock waves when our elected leaders are apprehended for fraudulent practices, proving their academies, but the recent case of the Chairman of National Assembly Committee of Sports in the Supreme Court was a hilarious comedy, especially the Q&A. If these are our legislators and their knowledge base so dismal, how we expect them to legislate the laws.
What a shame and all Pakistanis hang their head in shame as one after other legislator is send from hall of fame to hall of shame, thanks to the independent judiciary. Whilst legislators comical comments can be discounted, but it has put me on browsing for hours to find a Tafseer written by Hazrat Musa (Mosses), as this was a startling revelation from a legislator who is to said to be Master's in Theology (Islamiat), a serious matter worth investigating and can't be simply ignored, but never heard before, thus be investigated by scholars and the learned legislator may be asked to deliberate further on it.
We, in Pakistan must ponder as to how to operate the democracy in a country where constituents are unable to check credentials, thus we have to evolve a foolproof system by making due amendments in our Constitution and democratic framework to suit our local condition where illiteracy is rampant and very nominal sum of GDP is reserved for education and health.
I believe that we must at least revert to under-graduate minimum from a recognised university and discard equivalency's, being my humble submission. I firmly believe that parliamentary democracy of West Minster style is not suited to us, unless duly amended with checks and balances on electing our legislators, who should be able to at least comprehended the summaries and take legal/professional consultants on board, when framing laws or approving any act of parliament.
All these problem boils down to poor state of education in our country, even terrorism and many other ills. Education, and especially liberal education, is what makes civil society possible that means it has an importance even greater than its contribution to economic success, which, alas, is all that politician seem to think it is for. To understand civilising and ethical role of liberal, education we need to escape from narrow definition of morality as conceived by us and let us return to more inclusive classical conception of "Ethics".
The ancient Greeks thought differently, for them whole of life is an ethical matter and ones effect on other flow from one's overall character, as Socrates dictum - and it can only be considered if it is informed. The liberal education means literature, history and appreciation of arts, and give them equal weigh with scientific and practical subjects.
Our legislators of today and tomorrow and all others must admit that there is no denying that education is an essential preparation for life and work in today's advanced economy. Modern economics require skilled and motivated leaders and workers both, who may only profit from opportunities they afford, if they are equipped to respond to their demands.
So much now is received wisdom. Aristotle said that we educate ourselves so that we can make noble use of our leisure, this is a view directly opposed to the contemporary policy that we educate ourselves to get a job in our country and abroad.
The key is to distinguish education from training, to recognise that people require both and to be unabashed, about what is involved in the latter. Heraclitus remarked that learning is only a means to an end, which is understanding and understanding is the ultimate value in education, education etymologically means "leading out" or "bringing out", an idea which owes itself to an improbable but long influential theory put forward by Plato.
He believed that we have pre existing immortal souls, which knew all things in their disembodied state, but which we forget at birth. In Plato's theory, learning is thus remembering, schooling is the activity of bringing out what is immemorially lodged in our minds.
The theory was modified in more sensible directions by later thinkers, who saw education as the evocation of talents and capabilities implicit in the individual, rather than innate knowledge. There is no denying of the fact that college and university unions were nursery for development of political skills not rowdyism, which is practiced by unions.
The university unions exposed the talents to art and literary meetings and listening to professionals and politicians in the auditorium, thus giving a food of thought. It is incumbent on independent election commission to check the credentials of all candidates as masses due to rampant illiteracy and other factors, can't check the credentials.
It is also humbly suggested that all legislators once elected must attend mandatory "academy of politics" for 6 months where they may be exposed to law, international conventions, international relations and all pre-requisites of Constitution.
The academy must also groom them about their privileges and how to act in parliament on various issues, so that legislators are at least trained and groomed to some extent to avoid further comedies.
We respect our legislators, who have been voted by their constituents and it makes us sad, when they can't perform or commit fraudulent practices, although they are few, but we must reform, so that such events are not reported for the sake of our parliaments reputation, which is sacred to all constituents. I quote Geoffrey Moss "that it is better to light a candle then to curse the darkness."
Until the legislator met nemesis in the courtroom, he was firebrand vocalist. His downfall gave me to write his obituary. The searching question is can the court move, as legislator demands verification of degrees of all legislators. I fully subscribe to him and endorse his views and noble demand or all else, all legislators voluntarily submit verification of their degrees right from the top for the sake of cleansing the system and restoring image.
It is interesting to read L. Vencent Poupard "The humour to be found when watching British parliament" and TV show "Yes Minister" etc, but no one, ever stoops down to lowest pedestal or commits academic frauds. Democracy is said to be best form of government, although it is not a perfect system of Governance, as the case in Pakistan where, unfortunately, illiterate masses, without checking the credentials of the leaders vote for them on the basis of creed, caste or be it ethnic affiliation or sympathy factor.
The poor results of bad governance for the last 2 years are obvious, when statistics are benchmarked. It sends shock waves when our elected leaders are apprehended for fraudulent practices, proving their academies, but the recent case of the Chairman of National Assembly Committee of Sports in the Supreme Court was a hilarious comedy, especially the Q&A. If these are our legislators and their knowledge base so dismal, how we expect them to legislate the laws.
What a shame and all Pakistanis hang their head in shame as one after other legislator is send from hall of fame to hall of shame, thanks to the independent judiciary. Whilst legislators comical comments can be discounted, but it has put me on browsing for hours to find a Tafseer written by Hazrat Musa (Mosses), as this was a startling revelation from a legislator who is to said to be Master's in Theology (Islamiat), a serious matter worth investigating and can't be simply ignored, but never heard before, thus be investigated by scholars and the learned legislator may be asked to deliberate further on it.
We, in Pakistan must ponder as to how to operate the democracy in a country where constituents are unable to check credentials, thus we have to evolve a foolproof system by making due amendments in our Constitution and democratic framework to suit our local condition where illiteracy is rampant and very nominal sum of GDP is reserved for education and health.
I believe that we must at least revert to under-graduate minimum from a recognised university and discard equivalency's, being my humble submission. I firmly believe that parliamentary democracy of West Minster style is not suited to us, unless duly amended with checks and balances on electing our legislators, who should be able to at least comprehended the summaries and take legal/professional consultants on board, when framing laws or approving any act of parliament.
All these problem boils down to poor state of education in our country, even terrorism and many other ills. Education, and especially liberal education, is what makes civil society possible that means it has an importance even greater than its contribution to economic success, which, alas, is all that politician seem to think it is for. To understand civilising and ethical role of liberal, education we need to escape from narrow definition of morality as conceived by us and let us return to more inclusive classical conception of "Ethics".
The ancient Greeks thought differently, for them whole of life is an ethical matter and ones effect on other flow from one's overall character, as Socrates dictum - and it can only be considered if it is informed. The liberal education means literature, history and appreciation of arts, and give them equal weigh with scientific and practical subjects.
Our legislators of today and tomorrow and all others must admit that there is no denying that education is an essential preparation for life and work in today's advanced economy. Modern economics require skilled and motivated leaders and workers both, who may only profit from opportunities they afford, if they are equipped to respond to their demands.
So much now is received wisdom. Aristotle said that we educate ourselves so that we can make noble use of our leisure, this is a view directly opposed to the contemporary policy that we educate ourselves to get a job in our country and abroad.
The key is to distinguish education from training, to recognise that people require both and to be unabashed, about what is involved in the latter. Heraclitus remarked that learning is only a means to an end, which is understanding and understanding is the ultimate value in education, education etymologically means "leading out" or "bringing out", an idea which owes itself to an improbable but long influential theory put forward by Plato.
He believed that we have pre existing immortal souls, which knew all things in their disembodied state, but which we forget at birth. In Plato's theory, learning is thus remembering, schooling is the activity of bringing out what is immemorially lodged in our minds.
The theory was modified in more sensible directions by later thinkers, who saw education as the evocation of talents and capabilities implicit in the individual, rather than innate knowledge. There is no denying of the fact that college and university unions were nursery for development of political skills not rowdyism, which is practiced by unions.
The university unions exposed the talents to art and literary meetings and listening to professionals and politicians in the auditorium, thus giving a food of thought. It is incumbent on independent election commission to check the credentials of all candidates as masses due to rampant illiteracy and other factors, can't check the credentials.
It is also humbly suggested that all legislators once elected must attend mandatory "academy of politics" for 6 months where they may be exposed to law, international conventions, international relations and all pre-requisites of Constitution.
The academy must also groom them about their privileges and how to act in parliament on various issues, so that legislators are at least trained and groomed to some extent to avoid further comedies.
We respect our legislators, who have been voted by their constituents and it makes us sad, when they can't perform or commit fraudulent practices, although they are few, but we must reform, so that such events are not reported for the sake of our parliaments reputation, which is sacred to all constituents. I quote Geoffrey Moss "that it is better to light a candle then to curse the darkness."
Until the legislator met nemesis in the courtroom, he was firebrand vocalist. His downfall gave me to write his obituary. The searching question is can the court move, as legislator demands verification of degrees of all legislators. I fully subscribe to him and endorse his views and noble demand or all else, all legislators voluntarily submit verification of their degrees right from the top for the sake of cleansing the system and restoring image.
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