|
|
|
|
 |
 |
   |
disaster Back
channel diplomacy Reliving 90s Local
factor By Zulfiqar Shah Manzoor Memon, 40, a trader from Hala, a small town of Matiari district on the left bank of river Indus, feels frustrated and is muttering something to a group of friends at an open air tea restaurant on National Highway in Hala. His gestures were showing obvious signs of anger and frustration. The group of seven to eight youngsters was listening to him attentively and at one time all the faces showed signs of disappointment. A number of local and international NGOs have either closed or cut down their operations in Quetta for security concerns By Ejaz Khan The deteriorating law and order situation in Balochistan, particularly increase in target killings and kidnapping for ransom, is taking a heavy toll on charity and development work by various international organisations and NGOs. Due to the growing sense of insecurity, a number of local and international NGOs have either closed or cut down their operations. After UNHCR, the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) has started reducing its activities and curtailed movement of its staff in Quetta after receiving threatening telephonic calls from unknown quarters.
Gathering storm People flee for safety from Attabad as the May 25 deadline for water overflow nears By Shabbir Ahmed Mir People of scenic Hunza valley are spending sleepless nights as the final showdown is approaching fast. The water from the landslide lake is just 20 feet short of the spillway constructed by Frontier Works Organizations (FWO) engineers to ease out pressure on banks of the lake that was formed after a massive landslide early this year hit the Attabad village. About 20 people had perished in the landslide that formed
a natural dam in the Hunza River, consuming upstream villages. If the dam
breaks, a flash flood could threaten downstream villages too. The landslide
has also blocked the Karakoram Highway, a vital trade link to China, cutting
off 25,000 people in the upper Hunza valley. Authorities said the water overflow would likely start from May 25 from the lake that has expanded up to 23 kilometres, submerging at least three upstream villages -- Ainabad, Shishkat and Gulmit, a tourist resort on the main Karakoram Highway linking Pakistan with China. The government initially used helicopters to ferry people and goods, but later boats were used to transport goods and passengers. On May 18, the government decided to suspend the boat service after risk of water bursting out of its banks increased. "We are once again starting helicopter service to facilitate people," Wazir Baig, Speaker of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Legislative Assembly, tells TNS. In the villages submerged by the expanded lake, people took everything they could carry, even doors and windows of their houses. "Why should we let our precious things go waste," a worried man in Gulmit tells TNS, adding, "It's our property and we will take with us whatever we can." Work on the spillway, being undertaken by Pakistani and Chinese engineers, was halted after experts warned the government it is dangerous in the given situation. "The target of 30-metre deep spillway has been achieved and going further can be dangerous in view of the surging water level in the lake," an official informed TNS. It took more than five months for the Chinese and FWO engineers to prepare the spillway by cutting 30-metre rubble from the Attabad Dam. Concerns among the resident are growing as the time ticks by despite the government's assurances that the lake will not burst. "People apparently believe in what the authorities
say, but the loss could be much more than what the government claims,"
says Abdul Qayum, a resident of Hunza, adding, "What will we do if water
submerges our homes and villages." Blaming the government for slackness in tackling the disaster, Abdul Karim, a resident of Gojal, tells TNS government officials are just joking with the marooned people. He came down hard on Wazir Baig, terming him more loyal to the government than the people. "The government could have assigned the task of clearing the debris to the Chinese engineers working on the highway expansion, but instead the government opted for FWO which caused unnecessary delay," Karim said. However, the government has something else to say. "There are very little chances that water will break the huge barrier, but we are taking all possible measures to keep losses minimum," Asif Bilal Lodhi, secretary home Gilgit-Baltistan, informs TNS. "The substance that has blocked the river is composed of huge boulders." He claimed residents from all the vulnerable villages downstream have been evacuated to safer places. More than 13,000 people from 36 villages could be affected if the lake overflows. "If the dam bursts, about 8,000 cubic meter water per second will be released and it will take five hours before the flash flood reaches Gilgit, about 130 kilometres from Attabad," Lodhi said, adding an alarm system is in place which will alert people from Attabad to Gilgit. "The government has arranged cradle bridges for eight sites if an emergency occurs," said Lodhi adding the government has enough food and medicine stocked to cater to the needs of those displaced for two months. Chief Minster Gilgit-Baltistan Mehdi Shah said Pakistan Army, with the help of civil administration, is carrying out relief operations in all vulnerable villages. Dispelling threats to Tarbela Dam, Mehdi Shah said even if the lake bursts, it would not harm Tarbela Dam, which is too far away and has more capacity than the Attabad Dam. Urging people to stay calm, the CM said affectees would be compensated -- and lists in this regard are being prepared. Sources in Hunza said officials have been using loudspeakers for the last three days to warn people of low-lying areas to vacate their houses in view of the pending danger. Wazir Baig said the president of Pakistan is briefed daily on the pace of relief work and the developing situation. "The federal government has already announced a compensation package for the people of Upper Hunza," Baig maintained.
US wants Pakistan and India on negotiating table as it fights a decisive battle against Taliban and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan By Shaiq Hussain After successfully prevailing upon Islamabad and New Delhi for resuming their stalled dialogue in mid-July this year, the Obama administration is now engaged in intense back channel diplomatic efforts to ensure that dialogue between arch rival nuclear rivals is result-oriented. It was on May 11, months after terror attack in Mumbai
back in 2008, that Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna, after a telephonic
talk with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi, announced that he
would be visiting Islamabad in July later this year to hold peace talks.
Nonetheless, he and other Indian officials later began saying that the
foreign ministers' talks between Pakistan and India should not be construed
as resumption of composite dialogue that includes Kashmir and other bilateral
disputes on its agenda. The Indian officials said that the talks were only an
exercise to remove the trust deficit between the two states. "The back channel diplomatic efforts by the Obama administration led to the announcement by Pakistan and India about the restart of their dialogue. The endeavours by the US administration didn't stop there and it is still very much engaged with the two sides for the continuity of these talks to resolve Kashmir and other thorny issues between the nuclear neighbours," a senior Pakistani diplomat told TNS with the request for anonymity. The recent statements by Indian leaders that they were not yet willing to revive the stalled composite dialogue had increased the significance of supportive US role all the more, he said. The major reason for the back channel diplomacy was a strong sense in the US capital that tension between Pakistan and India was harmful and damaging to the Washington-led anti-terrorism fight in Afghanistan. The official said the Obama administration was of the strong view that lowering of tensions between the neighbouring South Asian states would help Pakistani security forces focus on country's border with Afghanistan at a crucial time when the US troops were engaged in, what they believed, a decisive battle against Taliban and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. Pakistan has already deployed around 130,000 troops on the country's border with Afghanistan and it could not afford to shift its focus totally from the Indian border without the lowering of tensions with India. "Hence, all these efforts by the Obama administration are aimed at lessening their concerns about each other," the official said. Another major reason was the Obama administration's anti-nuclearisation policy and its desire for permanent peace in South Asian region which is considered as a 'nuclear flashpoint. "The US authorities also desire that Pakistan and India move towards embracing the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), but that could be considered only by Pakistan if its status as a nuclear weapon state is accepted," the official declared. With the United States and other world powers like UK willing to extend whatever help they could to help resolve Indo-Pak disputes, Pakistani policy-makers are trying their best to take advantage of the favourable global environment and striving hard for the revival of eight-point composite dialogue with India that covers not only Kashmir but other important matters like Siachen, Sir Creek, terrorism and security-related matters and Wullar Barrage etc. They also want to discuss the ongoing water dispute with New Delhi contrary to India's desire to focus only on terrorism. Hence, one major challenge for the two states and also for the Obama administration is how to remove these differences, and for that purpose American officials in both the South Asian capitals are in close touch with the Pakistani and Indian officials. Only a few days back, the US ambassador in New Delhi reportedly visited Islamabad and his trip was seen as a part of back channel diplomatic efforts to help resolve the Indo-Pak conflicts. Kuldip Nayar, the veteran Indian journalist, shared a different view with TNS. He does not see any pressure on the part of Americans on Islamabad and New Delhi to resume the stalled dialogue. Nayar opined it was rather the self-realisation in Islamabad and New Delhi that it was time to talk about peace and stability in the region instead of confrontation and it was better to work out modalities for enhancing trade and commercial ties. He said the US authorities did talk to Islamabad and New Delhi about its desire for peace in South Asia but that didn't imply that it was playing any back channel diplomacy or exerting any pressure on the two sides for the purpose. "For better and friendly ties, the two sides need to remove mistrust as the prevailing mistrust is the mother of all problems." security analyst General (retd) Talat Masood believes there is a supportive role by the United States to help ease tensions between Pakistan and India, but that could not be the sole factor for the vital announcement by two sides to resume the dialogue process. "I feel that Indians have also realised that the policy that they have opted for to isolate Pakistan globally in the wake of Mumbai attacks has paid whatever dividends it could and its prolongation will now prove to be counterproductive," he opined. The international community, including the United States and India, has recognised the crucial role that Pakistan would play to resolve the Afghanistan issue and strengthen the anti-terrorism efforts, Masood said, adding India also wants to develop trade ties with its neighbouring country, and only peace can help achieve those objectives. Dr. Riffat Hussain said Indians were likely to insist on treating the cross-border terrorism as the most important issue and it would also try to bring it at par with the Kashmir issue -- something that was likely to be opposed by Pakistan. "I have my doubts that the two sides would be able to have an easy accord on an agreed framework for the future talks aimed at the resolution of bilateral disputes," Hussain concluded.
A collection of columns by Dr Syed Jafar Ahmad, this book provides an insight into era of Benazir Bhutto By Altaf Hussain Asad Jamhuriat Ki Aazmaish Writer: Dr Syed Jafar Ahmad Published from Maktaba-e-Danyal, Abdullah Haroon Road, Karachi Pages 549 Price: Rs650 A feeling of despondency and hopelessness develops as one turns page after page of "Jamhuriat Ki Aazmaish" – a collection of columns by Dr Syed Jafar Ahmad, a scholar in his own right. It makes us realize we are still standing where we were almost two decades ago. These columns and editorials still retain their freshness, although much water has flown down the river. Those who were not mature enough in those terrible times can see a true picture of that era. These writings cover the second stint of Benazir Bhutto. Dr Jafar Ahmad wrote these columns and editorials in 1993 for 'Sunehra Daur', whose editor was noted journalist Mujahid Barelvi. Later, Syed Sultan Anwer started 'Lail-o-Nihar' and thus Dr Jafar got another forum to chisel his analytical skills. Sadly, both these publications conked out by 1997. These writings take us back to early nineties when the two mainstream political parties were at each others throat. The first stint of Benazir Bhutto as a prime minister turned out to be failure as she was not given due space to deliver. The then chief minister of Punjab, Mian Nawaz Sharif, was allegedly playing to the tunes of the establishment that's why her stint as prime minister disappointed all and sundry. She was more confident at the start of her second stint because a loyal party stalwart, Sardar Farooq Leghari, was in the presidency. But she once again faltered due to a hostile opposition and poor governance. Dr Jafar Ahmad spares no one in his sharp analytical pieces as he uses his pen like a scalpel and tries to go deep into the problems that mar our democratic system. In his editorial of August 1994, Dr Jafar scorns Nawaz Sharif for his idiosyncratic statement of carrying on the legacy of Gen. Ziaul Haq. In a detailed piece, he takes to task the opposition leader and exhorts him to get out of the shadows of Ziaul Haq. Without getting passionate, the author makes perceptive commentary on the political system of that time. We can get a true and detailed snapshot of that era by flipping through the pages of this book. Religious seminaries had been serving as dens of fanatics over the years, but the government looked the other way and these seminaries continued to thrive. As a result we have failed to introduce concrete reforms in seminaries. In the issue of February 1995, the author asks the government to look into the matters of seminaries. One can note from the editorial that the retrogressive forces reacted angrily when the government decided to carry out reforms and audit accounts of religious seminaries. The evergreen Maulana Fazlur Rehman had said the government had no right to audit seminaries' accounts. That was in February 1995, when he wrote a prophetic editorial 'Taliban Ka Toofan' and warned the government not to meddle in the affairs of Afghanistan. Criticising the army for rallying behind Taliban to get so-called 'strategic depth' in Afghanistan, he wondered what would happen if these Taliban turned their guns towards Pakistan at some stage. Now we are witnessing the stage which Dr Jafar Ahmad had alluded to in the year 1995. 'Jamhuriat Ki Aazmaish' also exposes our politicians who have not matured at all over the years. The so called 'national interest' is only their personal interest. They can go to any length for their self-interest. They are enacting the same drama time and again. Democracy is only on their lips as they are far from the essence of true democracy. Dr Syed Jafar Ahmad's writings have given the future historians plenty of material to judge Benazir Bhutto.
Interesting facts emerge about the changing dynamics of constituency politics in the recent by-elections By Waqar Gillani The issue of fake degrees (a condition till 2008) culminated in by-election in many constituencies of national and provincial assemblies where the members had either quit or were disqualified. The results of by-elections across Pakistan have
established PPP and PML-N as the two major parties. The 'popularity graph
competition' actually started with the by-poll in NA-55 Rawalpindi where a PML-N
worker Shakil Awan knocked down political stalwart Sheikh Rashid Ahmed. The
trend followed in every constituency where candidates from both the parties
fought neck and neck. The by-poll race is crucial mainly for PML-N that is
trying to get simple majority and get rid of its major coalition partner –
PPP. PML-N was dubbed as the most popular party in Punjab with chances of winning all the by-polls seats, but PPP's victory on some seats dashed its hopes. The by-elections, especially in Punjab, have highlighted some interesting facts about the changing dynamics of constituency politics in Pakistan. Popularity of disqualified elected members in their respective constituencies helped them retrieve their assembly seats -- local factor belying the calculations of political parties. These elections are also a death knell for PML-Q, which is losing almost every vacant seat. On May 15, there were by-elections on two National Assembly seats, NA-167 (Burewala) and NA-178 (Muzaffargarh), and two Punjab Assembly seats, PP-259 (Muzaffargarh) and PP-63 (Faisalabad) in Punjab. The seats were declared vacant after legislators resigned for having fake degrees. Interestingly, three out of four managed to win their seats back. Jamshed Dasti from NA-178 secured 52,624 votes while Pakistan Democratic Party's candidate Iftikhar Ahmad Khan remained second with 46,235 votes. The fake-degree holder Dasti defeated influential feudal lords of the area -- Nawabzada Iftikhar, son of Nawabzada Nasarullah Khan, and Mustafa Khar -- denting traditional feudalism. The third main candidate was Ghulam Mustafa Khar who secured only 3000 votes. Asghar Jatt of PPP from NA-167 Vehari outshined his rival by taking 63,183 votes, Awami Ittehad's candidate Nazir Ahmad stood second by securing 40,429 votes, while PML-N candidate Shahid Mehdi Naseem bagged 32,000 votes. The winning candidate is nephew of disqualified MNA Nazir Jatt, who was disqualified for life by the Lahore High Court. The PML-N-backed independent candidate from PP-259 Muzaffargarh, Makhdoom Basit Bukhari, won with 32,512 votes against his rival PPP's Samiullah Bukhari with 30,247 votes. Meanwhile, PML-N's Ajmal Asif, who stepped down for having a fake degree, won PP-63 Faisalabad seat with 31,173 votes while his rival Rana Aftab, provincial chief of PPP, got 22,233 votes. The local factor has replaced the party factor in by-elections politics where workers of political parties want their own favourite candidates, instead of supporting party-imposed candidates. The first example of this trend was witnessed in June 2008 -- the first by-polls in 28 national and provincial constituencies -- when the PPP candidate Murid Hussain Qureshi, the younger brother of Shah Mahmood Qureshi, lost to a PML-N-backed independent candidate, Karam Dad Wahla. There was resentment among local PPP workers against the nomination of Shah Mahmood Qureshi's brother. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl) candidate Laiq Muhammad Khan won Mansehra NA-21 by-elections in January 2010, knocking down PML-N candidate, brother of Capitan (retd) Muhammad Safdar, son-in-law of PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif. The local leaders of PML-N wanted the ticket for a local party leader, but the leadership rejected their demand and lost the seat. The same phenomenon was repeated in NA-167 by-poll in Vehari where the disqualified PML-Q's former MNA Nazir Jutt won on PPP's ticket. He had shown willingness to join PML-N with the assurance to win the election because of his popularity. However, the PML-N leadership awarded ticket to old friend Shahid Mehdi Naseem. The aggregate number of votes of runner up, who was also supported by the local PML-N angry group, and the PML-N candidate was higher than the winner's vote count. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has scheduled by-elections in PP-206 Multan and PP-240 Dera Ghazi Khan for June 5. The PP-206 fell vacant after the disqualification of PML-Q's Naghma Mushtaq. Pakistan People's Party has awarded the ticket to the brother of the Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani while Ms Mushtaq is contesting on PML-N ticket. Similarly, PML-N MPA Sardar Mir Badshah Qaisrani vacated PP-240 seat. PML-N has again awarded the ticket to Badshah Qaisrani despite the fact his rival candidate Imam Bakhsh Qaisrani has challenged his nomination papers. His wife is the covering candidate of PML-N. There are lessons for political parties in the by-elections because local factors are holding sway over party politics.
Sindhis feel betrayed as PPP changes its stance over the status of Hyderabad district
By Zulfiqar Shah Manzoor Memon, 40, a trader from Hala, a small town of
Matiari district on the left bank of river Indus, feels frustrated and is
muttering something to a group of friends at an open air tea restaurant on
National Highway in Hala. His gestures were showing obvious signs of anger and
frustration. The group of seven to eight youngsters was listening to him
attentively and at one time all the faces showed signs of disappointment. What's the problem? Look around here and there, and one sees no reason for such frustration on the faces of this small youth group, which otherwise would have been enjoying evening tea in an open air atmosphere of hot May in Sindh. The group is discussing a recent announcement by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to restore the old position of district Hyderabad and a later announcement to take back the decision after severe resistance from its coalition partner Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). "You see a dictator had changed my profile by dividing Hyderabad," said Manzoor Memon, referring to division of Hyderabad into four separate districts during the Musharraf regime. "Now this democratic government, we voted for, is also playing tricks with us." Memon had a plastic folder in hand and he did not waste a second to open it. "You see my father's and my grandfather's domiciles were from district Hyderabad and mine was changed in 2005, when I was already 35-year-old." He can narrate you the history of how Hyderabad was founded in 1768 by Ghulam Shah Kalhoro and remained capital of Sindh under the Talpur rulers. District Hyderabad, an important district of Sindh province, was divided in four districts -- Hyderabad, Matyari, Tando Allahyar and Tando Mohammad Khan -- in 2005 when General Musharraf was in power and MQM had a lion's share in Sindh's coalition government as well in the centre. Many saw this division was done on ethnic grounds, as MQM was not happy with a Sindhi district nazim sitting in Hyderabad's district government. It was only possible when a separate district comprising only Hyderabad city areas was to be created. Thus MQM was able to rule the Hyderabad city with majority Urdu-speaking population. In older position of Hyderabad, this was something impossible as Sindhis were in overwhelming majority in the previous position of the district. To provide a benefit to his allies, the government divided the district into four districts. Nowhere in Pakistan has it happened that four districts are created from one district. On the other hand, the same government had merged five districts of Karachi into one City District Government of Karachi. "If the city of Karachi, having a population of more than 15 million can be made one district, why can't Hyderabad become a single district?" questioned Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Speaker of Sindh Assembly, in a press statement. The division took place at a time when Arbab Ghulam Rahim was chief minister Sindh and Shaukat Aziz was the prime minister. PPP was in the opposition and had strongly opposed this division. It had promised to do away with this division after coming into power. Time passed by and PPP came into power in February 2008. Like many other promises, it failed to fulfill this promise it made with the people of Sindh. But it was only on May 10, 2010, when the prime minister, addressing PPP office-bearers and activists from Hyderabad division at Chief Minister's House in Karachi, announced the restoration of older status of district Hyderabad. "This announcement was as per people's aspirations and we were celebrating it," said Zulfiqar Halepoto, General Secretary of Sindh Democratic Forum (SDF), a Hyderabad-based think tank. Like many other such occasions, presidency immediately sent the deal broker Interior Minister Rehman Malik to London. An announcement came from London that PPP has withdrawn PM's announcement and Hyderabad's current status will remain unchanged. Obviously, this hurt the other side -- ethnic Sindhis, both common folks as well as politicians. PPP's provincial leadership issued statements that were interesting and said a lot on what's happening within the party. Among those who reacted on presidency's consent to MQM demand that the district should remain divided, the harshest voice was that of Zafar Ali Shah, MNA from Noshehro Feroz. "Will the government snatch all the rights of Sindhis by putting Sindhi cap on the head of Asif Ali Zardari?" he asked in National Assembly pointing to president Zardari's dressing posture. "Division of Hyderabad was a big injustice with Sindhis and it must be undone," he demanded. Interestingly, PPP leaders' outburst was also short-lived, and journalists who contacted them a couple of days later for comments were disappointed. "We are sorry, we cannot speak on this topic as the party has stopped us from issuing statements," says Sasui Palejo. Zulfiqar Halepoto of SDF questions the politics of party line. "Yes, we know PPP leaders who spoke on the issue of Hyderabad were snubbed in a meeting with the president in Karachi and were asked to follow the party line, but can anyone tell us what's the party line?," he asks. "If continuing the marginalisation of Sindhis is a party line then they must not accept it." He says if PPP continues the current policy of compromises instead of promoting politics of principles, then they must not forget that they will have to get back to people. Politics of interest is involved in this issue. PPP and MQM are also obvious losers and winners. They may continue with this and PPP may attempt again to restore the old status of the Hyderabad to rule the entire district, and MQM is already prepared to resist it to maintain its control over this important city of Sindh. What is ignored is people like Manzoor Memon and millions of common population of pre-division Hyderabad. Neither were they consulted by the Arbab regime on the occasion of dividing Hyderabad in four parts in 2005 nor is the current government consulting them before making statements of restoration of districts to old status and then taking back such statements. "At least they should have asked us before changing our profiles," says Manzoor Memon once again showing a copy of his domicile. "They are not taking us into confidence now and making announcements of restoration and then taking such announcements back. They are playing with our emotions." Demographic experts also echo the voices of people like Manzoor. "All this was done in the name of devolution and decentralisation, but we have reservations on it," says Arif Hasan, a well-known town planner and demographic expert. "There was no public consultation on the system and it was imposed on the people of Hyderabad, thus creating distrust," he added while pointing to Musharraf's devolution of power plan. He says the government must adopt systems of "public hearings" before making important decisions to ascertain what people want. "It is not something impossible to do." Unfortunately, the division of Hyderabad was done with an official notification without any public hearing and consultative process and that's the fundamental problem with most of the important decisions taking place in the country. This practice of unilateral decisions by rulers not only divides land and demography but people as well and creates a trust deficit between the state and its citizens and among citizens.
A number of local and international NGOs have either closed or cut down their operations in Quetta for security concerns By Ejaz Khan The deteriorating law and order situation in Balochistan, particularly increase in target killings and kidnapping for ransom, is taking a heavy toll on charity and development work by various international organisations and NGOs. Due to the growing sense of insecurity, a number of local and international NGOs have either closed or cut down their operations. After UNHCR, the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) has started reducing its activities and curtailed movement of its staff in Quetta after receiving threatening telephonic calls from unknown quarters. "The ICRC has reduced its activities in Quetta for the
time being as its officials have been receiving some threatening calls during
the last week," says the Head of Sub-Delegation of ICRC Quetta, Adrian
Zimmermann, while talking to TNS. "We have brought the matter into
knowledge of the law enforcement agencies who are investigating into it,"
Adrian said without giving details about the threatening calls or the callers. These international organisations and NGOs have been working for the relief and repatriation of Afghan refugees and health and water sectors in the province. NGOs or international organisations that are still working to get their projects completed are not satisfied with the security arrangement put in place by the government. Sitara Jabeen, Senior Communication Officer of ICRC, tells TNS that due to the security situation, there is a temporary pause in the operations of ICRC. Despite assurance by the Balochistan government that it would provide security to all the international organisations and NGOs working in the development sectors, a number of local and international NGOs has closed down their operations. Another American organisation Mercy Corps has also reduced its operations in different parts of the province since its four officials had been kidnapped from Shankai area of Killa Saifullah district on February 19, 2010. All four employees were Pakistani nationals. Due to the security reason, some of the NGOs are moving their huge setups to Islamabad. Last year, the UNHCR had reduced its activities for over two months after the kidnapping of its top official, American national John Solecki. He was kidnapped on February 2, 2009 and released after hectic efforts by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, Pakistani President Asif Zardari and Afghan President Hamid Karzai. Since then, majority of foreigners who were working in international or national organisations have either shifted to Islamabad or their homes abroad. An official of a foreign-based NGO informs TNS they would clearly define their new policy for further works in Balochistan if the security conditions improve. Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Muhammad Aslam Raisani had told newsmen his government would provide all possible security to international organisations and NGOs working in the province. On Wednesday last, the CM had assured the UN Security Coordinator Yuan Sturm that the government would ensure safety of the international organisations' officials and separate safety enclosures would be set up for the offices of these organisations.
|
|
