Sinkholes, hottest day and a billion trees: Pakistan’s climate scorecard in 2018

By Nida Mujahid Hussain

The year 2018 did not come with glad tidings for Pakistan — a country, which according to 2018 Global Climate Risk Index report, ranks among top 10 countries most susceptible to climate change.

From ferocious heat waves to water woes, Pakistan needs to work urgently to combat the challenges ahead such as mass migration, loss of lives and livelihood, damage to the economy and crops.

Pakistan lost $382 million due to climate change

Between 1998 to 2017, Pakistan lost $3,826 million battling climate change issues, according to the report, and more than 10,000 human lives.

In order to mitigate the issue of greenhouse gas emissions, Pakistan would need $40 billion in funds, according to the Asian Development Bank.

Hottest day in April in Nawabshah

Consecutive heatwaves were witnessed in 2018's harsh summer/ file photo

This year, Nawabshah in Sindh witnessed the hottest day recorded on earth during April, as temperature soared to 50.2° Celsius. Several people reportedly suffered from heat-related dizziness and fainting.

Lahore records 214 mm rains, the heaviest in 38 years

In July, Punjab capital city, Lahore, recorded 214 millimetres (8.4 inches) of rain within a single day, the heaviest shower it has had in over 38 years. The torrential rain killed eight people, inundated areas and left many stranded. Two large sinkholes also appeared on the main thoroughfares of the city, 20ft deep and 200ft wide.

Karachi heatwaves

Not one, not two, but five heatwaves spells lashed Karachi, with highest temperature recorded as 45°C in May. The city faced an extended heatwave when the mercury reached 44°C for four to five days. Interior Sindh cities, Mohenjo Daro witnessed 50°C while in other cities, including Shaheed Benazirabad, Larkana, Dadu, Jacobabad, Lasbella, Sibbi, and Bahawalnagar the mercury went up to 49°C.

Water scarcity and the dam initiative

Pakistan to likely run dry by 2025/ file photo

Official projections show that Pakistan, whose population has increased fivefold since 1960 to over 207 million, will run dry by 2025. The country will be facing an absolute scarcity of water with less than 500 cubic metres available per person.

Following the emergence of the news, the Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar launched a campaign to raise funds for the construction of two large water dams.

Election year, party manifestos

This year’s election was somewhat different. One departure from the norm was the talk of environment. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf, which went on to form government, placed special importance on the need to save the environment in its party’s manifesto.

Since Imran Khan has been elected prime minister, he has rolled out several initiatives to increase Pakistan’s green-cover, such as the Clean and Green Pakistan drive and the Billion Tree Tsunami campaign.

Fighting smog

Due to the onslaught of smog during winters, Pakistan government ordered the closure of brick kilns for 70 days, starting October/ file photo

Due to the onslaught of smog during winters, the provincial government ordered the closure of brick kilns for 70 days, starting October till December 31.

Pakistanis among 800 million at risk of Global Warming: WB

The World Bank in a report had stated that 800 million South Asians were to face dire living conditions due to climate change, if greenhouse gas emissions were not reduced. The report said that the hotspots for climatic deterioration included six countries of the region.

( https://www.geo.tv/latest/223341-sinkholes-hottest-day-and-a-billion-trees-pakistans-climate-scorecard-in-2018 )

Countering Trump's Tirade

Thanks #DonaldTrump for accepting American foolishness in trying to coerce or buy its interests from us and having drastically failed in both. Well done Pakistan. Best new year gift. Time now to stand firm, be vigilant and unite to defeat CIA-MOSSAD-RAW-NDS-INTERNAL ENEMY Nexus.

Courtesty: Gen Ghulam Mustafa

Pakistan has done more to defeat terrorism than anyone, instead of shifting blame on us, #DonaldTrump must revisit his policy for Afghanistan. We have done what we could for the World now the World must do more to defeat the menace of terrorism rather gragging us into blame game!

Lt Gen Amjad Shoaib‏ 

85K civilians and 7K security officials dead, over 0.1 million injured/handicapped, over $120 billion loss to its economy and burden of 30 million Afghan refugees to its economy, US's $33 billion to Pakistan are just a pittance to what we have suffered #NoMoreDoMore #DonaldTrump. 

Courtesy: Shahid Latif 

Courtesy: Fahad Malik

Dear #DonaldTrump

We supported you, stood with you in YOUR War in Afghanistan. We brought YOUR war in our country. We sacrificed our men in YOUR War.  You gave aid to use our land. We don't need your aid & we won't DO MORE, anymore. 

Sincerely, 

PAKISTAN 

‘Teachers play vital role in character building of students’

QUETTA: The role of teachers is most important in character building of students for achieving lasting peace, tranquility, promotion of human rights and resolution of religious, political conflicts.

Addressing a training workshop titled “Insaniyt, Ikhliaqiyat and Shariyyat in Pakistan,” representatives of civil society, educationalists and scholars said the role of teachers and students was most important in promoting love, fraternity and resolving disputes in the society. The training session was organized by the University of Balochistan in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission. The speakers included Director Legislation, Parliament House Dr Kashmir, Director Higher Education Commission Balochistan, Habibullah Nasir, Dean Social Sciences Department, Balochistan University Professor Dr Abdul Ali Achakzai, Professor Muhammad Hanif Barozai, Arbab Tahir, Advocate, Munir Hussein Khattak, Farkhanda Aslam, Professor Saadat Baloch and others. The training session was attended by a large number of teachers, students and members of civil society representatives.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Kashif said character building of students could also ensure significant change in the society. He said another training session for country’s vice chancellors would be organized in Islamabad on November 20 after the conclusion of this two-day training session of students of Balochistan University and Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University.

Highlighting the importance of training sessions, the speakers stressed such sessions were need of the hour. They advocated the importance of cementing relations among government, state and educational institutes adding that protection of human life is most important. They suggested including human rights topics in curriculum.  They said conflicts among students could only be resolved by judicious approach. Society could be changed by understanding the basic role of the womenfolk. The change could be started from own home, family and institutions.

War crimes behind pictures

The long pending dispute of Jammu and Kashmir continues to take human lives every year, endlessly. In the year of 2016, the oppressed and suppressed people of Occupied Jammu and Kashmir have once again witnessed the worst kind of human rights violations by the hands of Indian forces. Kashmiri civilians have seen curfews, killings, torture, injuries, attacks on medical ambulances, assault on doctors & paramedical workers and crackdown on voluntary aid workers by various so called security agencies, raids, illegal detentions, disappearances, molestation, arson, Vandalizations of properties, restrictions on political, social and congregational religious activities, communication and Internet services ban and media gags throughout the year. However the year will always be remembered as “The year of Pellet Gun”.

The uninterrupted use of this horrific gun by the unbridled Indian forces has killed, blinded and maimed a huge number of Kashmiri civilians. The Security Forces, it is now widely accepted, have made and are making disproportionate and excessive use of pellet guns to deal with peaceful protests. “The Hindu”, a daily English newspaper published in India, has on August 19, 2016 reported that the Central Reserve Police Force(CRPF) told the Jammu and Kashmir High Court that it used 1.3 million pellets in just 32 days on Kashmiri civilians to control street protests.

Kashmiris in general believe that there was a conscious decision to fire the pellets into the eyes of civilians to punish them for demanding the right of self-determination. The Forces are meant to follow Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) which calls for targeting legs in extreme volatile conditions. However more than 90% of those injured have received injuries above the waist. “Government forces are deliberately aiming at chests and heads,” one of the doctors treating pellet victims in Srinagar hospital told the BBC on condition of anonymity. “They seem to be aiming to kill.” With the number of eye injuries Kashmiri citizens are facing, it is hard to believe that any attempt was made to fire below the waist. Pellet gun killings and blinding have been reported since 2010. However, this time pellet gun killings, and blinding have assumed monstrous proportions and far exceeded the number of such cases, reported earlier.

Pellet gun is usually considered as a non-lethal weapon but, in occupied Kashmir, it has been converted into a lethal weapon by using some special and deadly cartridges. The doctors, who attended on pellet victims, support the observation. Indian Express of 16 July, 2016 quotes doctors at SMHS as saying that the pellets now used are “sharp edged and irregular”.

A senior Ophthalmologist at the Hospital said that “foreign bodies (pellets) of new kind … For the first time the foreign bodies are more irregular and sharp edged, which causes more damage once it strikes the eye … “earlier we used to receive pellets which were round and homogeneous”. Another Ophthalmologist says, “These new pellets are more dangerous since these pellets have sharp edges, it is much dangerous, to what we used to see earlier”.

Dr. Natrajan, who operated upon those with pellet injuries, commenting upon the situation, states “this kind of situation is very rare. It is a disaster like situation and I am seeing such a situation for the first time”. He explains that a sharp edged pellet unlike a round pellet, pierces the eye ball and goes deep into the eye, resulting in a deeper injury, with least chance of restoration of eye sight.

Dr. Mahesh Shanmugam, who also conducted retinal surgeries at SMHS Srinagar, shocked by the situation says “this is not any ordinary situation. It is a race against time – this is war like situation as the number of this magnitude is unique”. He adds that most of the patients will need multiple surgeries.

Dr. Sudarshan K Kumar, who led the team of doctors from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), a leading Delhi hospital, has said that the nature of the injuries was so severe that it was almost as if Kashmiri doctors were dealing with a “war-like situation”. (Courtesy: Hassan Banna Ms. Attiya Asim)

Lethal use of Pellet guns in Kashmir

Indian attitude of manipulating the fact by projecting Kashmiri lady picture injured by pellet guns shown in United Nation by Pakistan's representative Maleeha Lodhi as Palestinian lady injured in Gaza. How many facts india will manipulate. There are almost 964 pellet gun victims having miserable pictures and videos. The guardian has termed blinding of Kashmiris by pellet guns in Indian occupied Kashmir as one of the biggest blinding activity of human history. 

Few more evidences of Indian inhuman behaviour and blatant human right violations in Kashmir.

'گائے کی موت پر ہنگامہ اور دلت کی موت پر خاموشی'

انڈیا کے دارالحکومت دہلی کے ہرن کیدانا علاقے میں بہنے والے نالے میں آس پاس کے مکانات اور کمپنیوں کا انسانی فضلہ اور فیکٹریوں کا کیمیکل جمع ہوتا ہے۔

قریبی سڑک کی خالی جگہ پر نالے سے کئی روز قبل نکالا گيا گندہ کچرا اب سخت ہوگيا ہے۔ اس سے نکلنے والی تعفن اتنا شدید ہے کہ سانس لینا مشکل ہے۔

اسی نالے کو صاف کرنے کے لیے نیتو اور اجیت اس کے اندر گردن تک ڈوبے ہوئے تھے۔ کئی بار اس کا پانی ان کی ناک تک چلا جاتا، دونوں نے اپنا منہ زور سے بند کر رکھا تھا۔

ایک کے ہاتھوں میں بانس کی لمبی چھڑی تھی تو دوسرے کے ہاتھوں میں لوہے کا کانٹا جس سے وہ نالے کی تہہ میں پھنسے ہوئے کوڑے کچرے کو ہلانے کی کوشش کر رہے تھے تاکہ وہاں سے پانی کے نکلنے کی جگہ بنے۔

Image captionنیتو اور اجیت

نیتو نے اشارہ کیا: 'کالا پانی گیس کا پانی ہوتا ہے، وہی گیس جو لوگوں کی جان لے لیتی ہے۔'

'ہم بانس مار کر دیکھ لیتے ہیں کہ وہاں کوئی گیس موجود ہے کہ نہیں، اور پھر ہم اس میں داخل ہوتے ہیں۔ بندے اس لیے مر جاتے ہیں کیونکہ وہ بغیر اسے دیکھے ہی اس میں کود پڑتے ہیں۔'

ایک دن میں 300 روپے کمانے کے لیے وہ نالے میں پائے جانے والے سانپوں اور مینڈک جیسے جانوروں کی بھی پرواہ نہیں کرتے ہیں۔

دبلے پتلے جانگیا پہنے ہوئے نیتو نالے سے نکل کر دھوپ میں کھڑے ہوئے تو ان کے بدن سے بہنے والا پسینہ اور جسم پر لگا گندہ کیچڑ ایک عجیب سی بو پیدا کر رہا تھا۔

سیور میں پائے جانے والے کانچ، کنکریٹ یا زنگ آلود لوہے سے نیتو کے پاؤں کئی بار زخمی ہوچکے ہیں۔ ان کے پیروں میں ایسے کچھ زخم ابھی بھی تازہ تھے کیونکہ ان کو بھرنے کا موقع نہیں مل پایا۔

تصویر کے کاپی رائٹSUDHAKAR OLWAY

ایک غیر سرکاری ادارے 'پریکسس' نے اپنی ایک رپورٹ میں کہا ہے کہ دہلی میں سیور صاف کرنے والے تقریبا 100 خاکروب ہر برس ہلاک ہو جاتے ہیں۔

رواں برس جولائی اور اگست کے محض 35 دنوں میں 10 خاکروب ہلاک ہوئے۔

ایک تنظیم 'صفائی ملازمین اندولن' کے مطابق سنہ 1993 سے انڈيا میں تقریبا 1500 خاکروب ہلاک ہوئے ہیں۔ ادارے نے اس کے دستاویزی ثبوت جمع کیے ہیں اور اس کا کہنا ہے کہ اصل تعداد اس سے کہیں زیادہ ہے۔

لاکھوں لوگ اب بھی یہ کام کرنے پر مجبور ہیں۔ اس کام سے وابستہ بیشتر افراد کا تعلق دلت سماج سے ہے۔ سیور میں زیادہ تر اموات ہائیڈروجن سیلفائید کی وجہ سے ہوتی ہیں۔

وہ لوگ جو سیور میں کام کرتے ہیں انھیں دمہ، جلد اور پیٹ کی طرح طرح کی بیماریوں کا بھی سامنا کرنا پڑتا ہے۔ نیتو نے یہ کام 16 برس کی عمر سے شروع کیا تھا۔

دہلی میں وہ اپنے بہنوئی درشن سنگھ کی ایک فاسٹ فوڈ کی دکان میں رہتے ہیں۔ انھیں جُھگیوں میں بہت سارے خاکروب ملازمین رہتے ہیں۔

اس کے آس پاس آبادی اتنی زیادہ ہے کہ یہاں سانس لینے کے لیے بہت زور لگانا پڑتا تھا۔ دروازے پر کوڑے کے ڈھیر کو پار کر کے ہم درشن سنگھ کے ڈھابے پر پہنچے۔

درشن سنگھ نے 12 برس تک صفائی کا کام کیا لیکن پاس کی ایک عمارت میں اسی کام کے دوران ان کے دو ساتھیوں کی موت ہوگئی جس کے بعد انھوں نے یہ کام چھوڑ دیا۔

تصویر کے کاپی رائٹGETTY IMAGES

انھوں نے بتایا:'ایک اپارٹمنٹ میں ایک پرانا گٹر طویل عرصے سے بند پڑا تھا۔ اس میں بہت گیس تھی۔ ہماری جھگیوں میں رہنے والے دو افراد نے 2000 روپے میں اسے صاف کرنے کا ٹھیکہ لیا تھا۔ پہلے جو بندہ گھسا وہ وہیں رہ گیا کیونکہ گیس بہت بھیانک تھی۔ اس کے بیٹے نے پاپا پاپا کی آواز لگائی۔ پاپا کی تلاش میں وہ بھی اندر گھسا لیکن واپس نہیں آیا۔ دونوں اندر ہی ختم ہو گئے۔ مشکل سے انھیں نکالا گیا۔ تبھی سے ہم نے یہ کام بند کر دیا۔'

قانون کے مطابق ہاتھ سے سیور صاف کرنے کا کام صرف ایمرجنسی کی صورت میں ہی کرنا ہوتا ہے اور اس کے لیے خاکروب ملازمین کی حفاظت کے کئی طرح کا ساز و سامان دینا ہوتا ہے۔ لیکن حقیقت میں بیشتر ایسے ملازمین ننگے بدن کی حالت میں سیور میں کام کرتے ہیں۔

اس طرح کے کام کے دوران ہلاک ہونے کی صورت میں حکومت کی طرف سے متاثرہ خاندان کو 10 لاکھ روپے تک کا معاوضہ دینے کی بھی تجویز ہے۔ لیکن 'آل انڈیا دلت مہاپنچایت' کے مور سنگھ کا کہنا ہے کہ اس کے لیے بہت جد و جہد کرنی پڑتی ہے اور ہر شخص کو ایسی مدد نہیں مل پاتی ہے۔

حال ہی میں ایسے ہی ایک واقعے میں دہلی کے لوک جن نائیک ہسپتال کا گٹر صاف کرنے کے دوران 45 سالہ رشی پال کی بھی موت ہو گئی تھی۔

'صفائی ملازمین اندولن' کے بیزواڑا ولسن کہتے ہیں: 'اگر ایک مہینے میں دہلی میں 10 گائیں مر جائیں تو ہنگامہ مچ جائے گا اور لوگ سڑکوں پر نکل آئيں گے۔ اسی شہر میں ایک ماہ میں 10 خاکروب ہلاک ہوئے لیکن ایک آواز نہیں اٹھی۔ ایسی خاموشی روحانی ایذا کا سبب ہے۔'

وہ کہتے ہیں: 'کوئی بھی شخص دوسرے کا پاخانہ پیشاب صاف نہیں کرنا چاہتا لیکن سماجی ڈھانچے کی وجہ سے دلت یہ کام کرنے پر مجبور ہیں۔ جب ہم مریخ پر جانے کے بارے میں سوچ سکتے ہیں تو پھر اس مسئلے سے کیوں نہیں نمٹ پا رہے ہیں۔'

ولسن کے مطابق حکومت لاکھوں نئے بیت الخلا بنانے کی بات تو کرتی ہے لیکن ان کے لیے بنائے جا رہے پٹس یا گڑھوں کو صاف کرنے کے بارے میں کوئی نہیں سوچتا ہے۔

تصویر کے کاپی رائٹSUDHAKAR OLWAY

نیتو کے بہنوئی درشن سنگھ کہتے ہیں: 'ہم ان پڑھ ہیں۔ ہمارے پاس کوئی کام نہیں ہے۔ خاندان کو پالنے کے لیے ہمیں یہ کام کرنا پڑتا ہے۔ اگر ہم کسی بند گٹر کے بارے میں سوال کرتے ہیں تو افسر کہتے ہیں، آپ اس میں گھسیں اور ہمیں اپنا پیٹ پالنے کے لیے مجبوراً یہ کام کرنا پڑتا ہے۔'

'کئی بار ہم اپنے بچوں کو نہیں بتاتے کیونکہ یہ گندا کام ہوتا ہے۔ ہم ان سے کہہ دیتے ہیں کہ ہم مزدوری کرتے ہیں۔ ہم سوچتے ہیں کہ اگر ہم نے انھیں سچ بتا دیا تو وہ ہم سے نفرت کرنے لگیں گے۔ کچھ لوگ شراب پیتے ہیں۔ مجبوری میں آنکھ بند کرکے کام کرتے ہیں۔'

'لوگ ہمیں دور سے پانی دیتے ہیں۔ کہتے ہیں، وہاں رکھا ہے، لے لو۔ نفرت بھی کرتے ہیں۔ بہت سے لوگ ہم سے نفرت کرتے ہیں کیونکہ یہ گندا کام ہے۔ ہم اگر نفرت کریں گے تو ہمارا خاندان کیسے چلے گا۔'

 

Trump’s Warning To Islamabad Has Formalised The China-Pakistan-Russia Axis

        

By Kunwar Khuldune Shahid

In calling out the "safe havens for terrorists in Pakistan" as part of his Afghanistan policy, US President Donald Trump has given formal shape to a reality that has been brewing in South Asia since Washington fell out with Islamabad post the Osama bin Laden raid.

With both Beijing and Moscow coming out in Islamabad's defence almost immediately, the China-Russia-Pakistan axis has been formally inaugurated, with the US and India allying in Afghanistan—as epitomised by Trump's call for New Delhi to help out Washington in the region.

Washington and New Delhi have been conspicuously toward drawn each other since the 2008 nuclear deal, a similar version of which Islamabad has been demanding as well. However, initial US policy had been to ensure that proximity with India doesn't alienate its traditional ally Pakistan, which heretofore had a pivotal role for Washington in Afghanistan.

What the Trump regime has done to chastise Islamabad over Afghanistan echoes the Indian stance in the region, specifically targeting Pakistan's "jugular vein": Kashmir.

Following the bin Laden raid, the relations between the US and Pakistan became increasingly acrimonious under the Obama regime. Under the Trump presidency, the Republicans in the Congress that had already been clamouring to revisit aid to Pakistan—asking Islamabad to pay for its F-16s last year, for instance—now have a formal outlet to vent their frustration.

What the Trump regime has done to chastise Islamabad over Afghanistan echoes the Indian stance in the region, specifically targeting Pakistan's "jugular vein": Kashmir.

In little over three months, Trump implicitly equated Kashmir's freedom fight with terrorism at an Islamic summit in Riyadh, sanctioned the Kashmir-bound Hizbul Mujahideen and its commander Syed Salahuddin as terrorists, and now officially underscored the problem of Pakistan "harbouring terrorists" while seeking the solution from India.

Meanwhile, China has continued to forestall New Delhi's move to blacklist Kashmir-bound jihadists at the UN, as it continues work on the $62 billion corridor with Pakistan, while further reigniting its own border dispute with India in Doklam.

Moscow drawing closer to Islamabad, at least militarily, naturally overlapped with US angst vis-à-vis Pakistan. It started with Russia lifting its self-imposed arms embargo on Pakistan in November 2014, following by a landmark "military cooperation" agreementthat culminated in the first ever joint military drill between the two countries last year.

In the meantime, Pakistan will be importing Mi-35 combat helicopters in addition to the Russian Klimov RD-93 engines for its JF-17 multi-role fighters. Moscow and Islamabad have also signed a deal for the construction of the North-South gas pipeline from Karachi to Lahore, to cater to the ever growing energy needs in Pakistan's most populous province.

The shaping of these axes in South Asia has been further facilitated by Indo-Pak ties reaching their nadir amidst increasing volatility in Kashmir.

This formation of hard alliances is a return to 20th century diplomacy and the rigid rulebook that defined bilateral relations, and which caused wars of all kinds.

With the US involved in direct confrontation in Ukraine and the South China Sea, as on-ground samples of its longstanding rivalries with Russia and China, the formalisation of coalitions means the respective alliances could henceforth be backing territorial disputes and regional crises as single units, drawn against one another and overlapping with the security and economic cooperation between the groups.

Even so, Russia cannot overlook the economic power that India is growing into. It is especially unlikely that Moscow would stop its military exports to New Delhi, despite its two-pronged security antagonism with Islamabad and Beijing.

Another promising ally for the China-Russia-Pakistan axis would've been Iran, considering Tehran's proximity to Moscow and bitterness vis-à-vis the US, which has seen it join Beijing and Moscow in condemning Trump's accusations against Islamabad. But Pakistan's own ties with Iran have deteriorated in recent times, with Tehran echoing the US India in accusing Islamabad of providing safe havens to terror groups, and even threatening military invasion inside Pakistani territory.

Furthermore, Pakistan's unflinching obligations to Saudi Arabia, which is the foundation of its differences with Iran, coupled with New Delhi and Tehran's growing economic cooperation along with Kabul—as exemplified by the Chabahar Port—mean that Iran isn't a natural fit for either of the two groups, especially since Washington is unlikely to diplomatically ease things for Tehran under Trump, who has signed a "$110 billion" arms deal with Saudi Arabia.

This formation of hard alliances is a return to 20^th century diplomacy and the rigid rulebook that defined bilateral relations, and which caused wars of all kinds. But there still might be a chance that the China-Pakistan-Russia axis might end up being shaped by the common interests that define it, rather than the ramifications for the states that it alienates.

Even so, with stridently antagonistic voices and policymaking now at the helm in Washington and New Delhi, coupled with Islamabad's rigidly masochistic shielding of jihadist groups, it is likely that confrontation rather than cooperation will remain the order of the day in South Asia—at least in the near future.