Pakistan - Zardari is back!

KARACHI, Dec 18: The mystery surrounding President Asif Ali Zardari`s departure earlier this month came to an end on Sunday when he arrived back in the country in the early hours of Monday as suddenly as he left.

The plane carrying the President landed at Air Force`s Masroor Base in Karachi past lam, from where he was taken to his residence, Bilawal House.

By Sunday evening, the rumours about his arrival back in the country were headlines. That the rumours had emanated from the presidency were evident from the fact that most of his aides were hinting at his return, but refused to either confirm it or speak on the record.

Reports of security being bolstered at Bilawal House in Karachi were cited to prove that he would land there rather than in Islamabad. But by midnight, after his plane had taken off from Dubai, there was still no official confirmation of where the president was to land; it was only when his plane entered Pakistan airspace that it was confirmed that he was on his way to Karachi.

President`s spokesman Farhatullah Babar told Dawn around midnight that the president would arrive at Karachi.

According to Pakistan standard time, the president flew from Dubai at around 11:30pm. He was accompanied by his younger daughter Asifa Zardari, security guards and his doctor. His plane landed at PAF Masroor base, where he was received by PPP leaders.

A close aide to the president also confirmed that Mr Zardari was feeling well, though he would rest in Karachi for a few days and chair party meetings before proceeding to Islamabad.

It was on Dec 6, a national holiday, that President Zardari was suddenly flown to Dubai. The country was left wondering what had prompted the departure. The explanations ranged from serious illness to rumours of a soft coup to theidea that he had gone away to escape possible repercussions of the investigations into `memogate`.The reason for the rumours galore was the memo affair which had towards the end of last month had compelled the government to announce the resignation of Pakistan`s ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani.

Since American citizen Mansoor Ijaz had alleged that the PPP governmenthad tried to collude with the American administration to rein in the Pakistan military, Haqqani had been fighting a losing battle. He resigned on Nov 22, but within days the Supreme Court accepted a petition to look into the issue and asked the president, the army chief, the IS head and Husain Haqqani to submit their replies on the controversy.

With the SC order, the controversy got a new lease of life.

Rumours and speculation Critics and some observers began to conjecture that the scandal would sweep up the PPP government. The conjectures intensified to the extent that the general consensus was that Asif Zardari was under immense pressure. Rumours and reports of his incoherent conversations with friends; colleagues and visiting dignitaries were the talk of the town as well as the country. Hence, when he was flown out, most people were willing to believe that the pressure had had an adverse effect on his health, though the exact illness remained a mystery. Fromheart disease to stroke to mental disorders, everything was mentioned.

However, some analysts dismissed the reports that the president was seriously ill and instead claimed that he had left because he did not want to risk being in the country when the SC received the replies of the army chief and the ISI chief. According to this theory, the president feared that if the replies of the military officials implicated him in the memo controversy, it was better for him and for the party that he be out of the country to lead and strategise for the PPP. A third, more bizarre theory, which found few claimants, said be had left the country under a deal and would not return.

Sadly, the lack of accurate information from the PPP about the president`s health and illness simply gave the rumours more credence.

This lack of information gave his more vicious detractors the opportunity to argue that the president was unfit to continue as president because of his poor health. That the government became aware of the consequences of this campaign was evident from the phone calls that the president then made from his hospital bed to the prime minister and journalists. Within days he shifted to his residence in Dubai.

However, a statement by the prime minister on Dec 12 that the president may need to rest for a couple of weeks then led to another round of speculation.

Compounding the confusion were the replies submitted to the SC on Dec 15 in which the statements of the ISI chief and the COAS were contradictory to the federation`s: the military officers were of the opinion that the memo existed and needed investigation while the government argued that the SC should dismiss the petition.

However, it is noteworthy that within a day the prime minister and the army chief held a lengthy meeting to dismiss the rumours of a confrontation between the army and the government while COAS Gen Ashfag Parvez Kayani was even reported to have spoken to Zardari on the phone.

Whether it was something the general said or just the magic of the treatment the president was receiving but a day after the call, Zardari felt well enough to return to the country. Analysts believe that while his return to the country will end one set of rumours, the whispers will not end completely.

All is not well in Islamabad, it appears, and people may continue to closely watch the president`s movements, and his relations with the military leadership, to determine if the crisis emanating from the memo scandal was over.

THE breaking of the chain of Naro Supplies

THE breaking of the chain entails a trail of effects not all of which may be immediately felt.

Thus, it is not just Nato which is feeling the heat of Pakistan`s decision to cut its supplies. Nato may be hurt but reports of clogging at Pakistan`s own ports is a point that deserves attention as supplies pile up at the Karachi and Bin Qasim ports. These supplies had been ordered before the ban and arrived in Pakistan in late November and early December for onward transportation.

A weekend count indicated that the clogging of the ports was now threatening Pakistan`s own exports and imports. Four containers that docked at Port Qasim and Karachi in the preceding few days carried some 1,200 military vehicles and 2,000 boxes. The ports did not have room to store these goods which now impede commercial traffic and threaten delays in the transportation of cargo and monetary losses for transporters, traders and port authorities. Logistics and business sense demanded an early clearing up of the ports; unfortunately, politics and accusations of betrayal prevented that.

The ban on supplies in the wake of last month`s Nato strike on Pakistani posts has encouraged vigorous politicking in the country. It has also led to an outpouring of publicemotion. Consequently, the debate on the effects of the ban on Pakistan has been pushed to the background. On Tuesday, a meeting of the JUI-F called for a permanent cutting off of the Nato supply line.

In order to gain greater public acceptance, many parties find themselves pandering to the popular sentiment. The JUI-F`s statement appeared to be yet another instance of this. In fact, the demands of the Pakistani public on this count predate Islamabad`s protest against the excesses committed by its allies in the war on terror.

While the intensity of the debate has varied from one political party to the other, no one has remained immune. Even those close to the power centre cannot be expected to stay out of the debate focusing on Nato`s aggression and the appropriate response. In this highly emotive situation, politics tends to override simple business sense. It is time for the debate to move on as popular sentiments are up against a hard reality: the inevitability of continuing the partnership with Nato after some Pakistani demands have been conceded. The envoys` conference called in Islamabad to review Pakistan`s foreign policy is said to have at some point discussed taxing Nato supplies. This could well be a suitable measure for the two sides to finally agree upon.

prowomen bills

THE passage of two prowomen bills by the Senate on Monday should be lauded not only because the laws seek to protect women from brutal customs, but also because such laws in the past have faced strong opposition from parochial interests.

The bill for the prevention of acid crimes calls for a stiff prison term (14 years) and a heavy fine (Rsim) for those who commit these. Women are the primary victims of acid-throwing. Neelofar Bakhtiar, the lawmaker who piloted the bill, said 60 per cent of the victims were women. The other law targets horrific traditions such as marrying women to the Quran to prevent the division of family property as well as the practices of swara and vani, in which women are used as bargaining chips to settle disputes and married off to rivals. Lengthy prison sentences and heavy fines have also been proposed for these crimes.

Though the passage of the laws is welcome, thehard part will be their implementation. There is much weight in calls by women`s groups to set up an implementation commission it is quite common to put good laws on paper but there is little government will and no sturdy mechanism to get them enforced. Considering the widespread nature of such crimes in society, the creation of an implementation commission may be the spur required to put these laws into practice and strengthen the struggle to eradicate such appalling customs. It goes without saying that the framing of laws and their implementation is only the first step towards reforming society and ridding it of antiwomen practices. A continuous effort from all segments of society, including public condemnation of destructive traditions, is needed to create awareness. The challenge is considerable, but it is commendable that the initial steps to tackle it have been taken.

Violence in Madrassahs

TORTURE and sexual abuse of minors at religious seminaries are not new developments. Over the years, many cases have come to light where deviancy and a propensity for violence have been attributed to the custodians of madressahs in various parts of the country.

In the most recent case, after a TV bulletin which highlighted the issue, more than 50 shackled children and men were recovered from the basement of a seminary off the Super Highway in Karachi. Arrests were made and it is expected that the accused will be prosecuted. Most of the men and children recovered by the authorities spoke of severe beatings and some also talked of abuse of another nature by men who claim to speak in the light of the divine. Only a trial in a court of law will establish thefacts as they stand.

Many of the victims, some of whom have been handed over to their parents, were deposited at this so-called madressah because they were reportedly drug addicts. That brings us to a crucial point. The madressah in question was supposedlyrunning a detoxification centre for those addicted to hard drugs. Did the bosses and employees at the seminary have the medical know-how to treat addicts? Apparently not. Lacking knowledge, they resorted to strongarm tactics that left a generation bruised for life.

What is the answer? It is the responsibility of the state to provide adequate healthcare facilities to any person, of either gender, with mental health and drug addiction problems. Then there is the education failure, which can also be attributed to the state. When the government does not deliver other actors step in, sometimes in a predatory role.

In our case, it is madressahs that promise education, food and room and board, and parents take the plunge because in many instances they have no other choice. No doubt they have little idea that their children could be physically abused by those seen as mentors in the wider societal picture.

Madressah regulation is the need of the hour.

Without it our children are not safe and every effort must be made to ensure their well-being.

US Defence Secretary Mr Panetta - The United States cannot win the war in Afghanistan without repairing its relations with Pakistan

WASHINGTON, Dec 13: The United States cannot win the war in Afghanistan without repairing its relations with Pakistan, says US Defence Secretary Leon E.

Panetta, while expressing confidence that the two allies can patch up their differences.

Mr Panetta, considered a `Pakistan hawk` in the US capital, also noted that the South Asian region cannot be stable if Pakistan was not stable.

The remarks he made to reporters before flying over to Kabul for meetings with Afghan leaders, showed a softening of his attitude towards Pakistan as until recently he was very critical of Islamabad`s approach to the Afghan war.

`Ultimately, we can`t win the war in Afghanistan without being able to win in our relationship with Pakistan as well,` he said.

A Pentagon news release, quoted the defence secretary as saying that restoring America`s strained relations with Pakistan was critical tolong-term progress in Afghanistan.

`I think it is going to be important, as we are able to move and progress in our efforts in Afghanistan, that we continue to do outreach in Pakistan,` he said.

`It is essential to stability in that region that we not only achieve a peaceful resolution with regards to Afghanistan, but that we are able to develop a more stable relationship with Pakistan as well,` he said.

`If that region is ever going to find peace, it is going to happen not only by achieving stability in Afghanistan, but also by achieving some degree of stability in Pakistan as well.

Responding to a question on Pakistan`s decision to block Nato supply routes to Afghanistan, Mr Panetta said: `We feel pretty confident that our troops have the supplies they need to continue their operations in Afghanistan.

And our command structure has done an incredible job ensuring that one way or another we are able to get those supplies in.

But this did not mean he was not worried about the closure, he added.

`We are concerned about the closure of the routes through Pakistan,` he said, adding that he hoped the situation wouldn`t be permanent.

`We continue to work with them to see if we can get those reopened as soon as possible. I am confident that that will happen. I can`t tell you when, but I remain confident that at some point we`re going to be able to restore our normal supply routes.

According to the American Forces Press Service, Mr Panetta conceded that the US relationship with Pakistan had been `difficult and complicated, but it is an important relationship, and it is one we have to continue to work at.` Mr Panetta acknowledged that Pakistan has provided important cooperation to the United States in the war against terrorists.

`At the same time, we have had some serious difficulties with regards to some of the operations that involve groups in Fata and groups along the border,` he said.

Responding to anotherquestion on a US military probe into the Nov 26 Nato raid that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers, Mr Panetta said that a number of interviews had been conducted, to determine factors involved in the incident. He expressed hope that the investigation would shed light on `exactly what happened,` but said he had not yet received an update on any findings.

Mr Panetta noted that even before the Nov 26 incident, Gen John Allen, commander of US and Isaf forces in Afghanistan, reached out to Pakistan Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani to develop a relationship that would allow the United States and Pakistan to better coordinate and control border area operations to prevent incidents.

`Obviously what took place has complicated that relationship,` Mr Panetta said.

`But I think the effort now is to try to see if we can restore that kind of communication with regards to those border incidents.

Restoring a solid relationship with Pakistan, he noted, went well beyond supply routes and border operations.

And if there`s one thing he said he`s learned, both at CIA and at the Defence Department, it`s the need to continue working at the relationship, even through `bumps in the road` and crises, he said.

Mr Panetta emphasised that the mission of confronting terrorism served both the United States` and Pakistan`s interests.

`The terrorism that threatens us also threatens them, he said.

Recast of Musharraf Era Ties with US - Senior Pakistani diplomats meeting

SLAMABAD, Dec 13: Senior Pakistani diplomats on Tuesday pitched for a complete recast of ties with Washington, proposing reconsideration and annulment of a number of agreements made during the Musharraf era and reducing reliance on American aid.

These and other steps for revisiting terms of engagement with the US have been detailed in the policy recommendations finalised at the end of the two-day envoys` conference, which was convened to deliberate on relations with America in the aftermath of the Nov 26 attacks on borderposts something that in the words of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani `constitutes a huge setback to the prospects of muchneeded cooperation`.

Streamlining of the recommendations, which have not been made public, will commence on Thursday with a meeting `in camera` of the bipartisan Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) to debate them. From the PCNS, the proposals will go to a joint sitting of both houses of parliament.

`The document prepared at the envoys` conference gives a good sense of how we intend to see our ties with the US in future,` one of the ambassadors who participated in the exercise said after the proceedings.Sharing the broader contours of the recommendations made by the conference, the ambassador said it called for codifying the relationship, introducing transparency into it, shifting the focus from getting aid and lowering expectations.

Principles of respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country have been reaffirmed as the red line in the proposed measuresin addition to askingfor basing the WashingtonIslamabad equation on mutual respect and interest.

This was also echoed by Prime Minister Gilani, who at the concluding session said: `Under no circumstances could we accept fla-grant transgression of our territorial frontiers. This remains our baseline and there can be no compromise on sovereignty, dignity and national honour.

`It has been our consistent effort to... develop the best of relations. Sovereign equality, mutual respect and mutually beneficial cooperation have been the hallmarks of this approach.

The agreements whose annulment or reconsideration has been proposed include a tacit understanding on drone attacks in Fata; blanket overflight and landing rights for US military and intelligence operations; provision of territorial access to US military and intelligence personnel; permission to transport Nato supplies through Pakistan; and a number of other secret accords made in 2002 after 9/11.

BASE FACTOR: In thecontext of the regional environment, the envoys apprehended that the US was not serious about reconciliation with Taliban and its efforts to negotiate a pact with Kabul for long-term bases complicated the peace talks.

`Implications are obvious for us. This aspect will be reviewed by parliament, another participant said.

The ambassadors saw the issue of US bases in Afghanistan in the context of the perceived `encirclement of China` Mr Gilani, in his concluding remarks, underscored the need for peaceful settlement of the Afghan issue.

`Satisfactory resolution of the issues relating to Afghanistan poses daunting challenges not only to the region but to the international community as a whole. At this particular point in time, it is imperative that all efforts should be directed to promoting durable stability and peace in Afghanistan.

However, the prime minister`s assertion that `we have continued to seek clarity and advocated the need for coherence, coordination and cooperation` reflected the frustration within his government about the US not playing ball with Pakistan on a settlement with Taliban.

Equally significant was a proposal on addressing the issue of Afghan refugees.

Close to 1.7 million refugees are still in Pakistan and some of them have been found involved in terrorist activities.

The prime minister also referred to the refugee issue, though just in the context of having hosted them for over three decades.

Climate Change

THE Kyoto Protocol of 1997, linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, promised much but failed to deliver because of the intransigence of leading polluters such as the United States and, initially, Australia. Now it is said that a `landmark agreement` on climate change was reached on Sunday at a UN-sponsored conference in Durban, South Africa. While this paper welcomes a concurrence which possibly suggests a significant step forward, there is little room for outright jubilation. As leading environmentalists point out, there are far too many loopholes in the `Durban Platform` to ensure a uniform regulatory policy. Participating countries have pledged to abide by their commitments to carbon emissions but the level of cuts they announce remains, quite arbitrarily it should be said, up to their own choosing. On the face of it this does not seem equitable, especially for developing countries that account for a minute fraction of global warming but have to pay the heaviest costs in the face of erratic weather in Asia andAfrica. Two, any `voluntary` reductions in emissions have been given a huge breather with a lengthy 2020 cut-off point.

The time to act is now and words alone will not do.

All stakeholders need to evolve a consensus that puts global environmental security before personal interests.

No corner of the earth, be it Southeast Asia, Pakistan or North and South America, has been spared in recent years from the torments of climate change. The poorest of the poor are hardest hit and will continue to suffer as long as business continues as usual. Glaciers and the polar caps are melting, and regions across the world are seeing alarming patterns of unusual droughts and flooding. But it need not be all doom and gloom. One of the major positives coming out of the Durban Platform is the pledge that a governing body will be set up to distribute `tens of billions of dollars` to poor countries in the fight against climate change.

How it all pans out remains to be seen but it is hoped that the world`s leading powers will take the sensible route.