By: Malik Rab Nawaz

Secretary Irrigation /MD PIDA, Govt. of the Punjab (Pakistan)

 

The human history unveils many of the civilizations which left their homelands only because of the scarcity of water.  The East India Company inaugurated the modern irrigation system in Sub Continent and proved their abilities to utilize the local resources with their management skills. In 1947, after the division of Sub Continent, Pakistan got the best irrigation system in the world which contains 22 main canals, 2794 distributary canals, 50 small dams, 31 barrages and 2100 miles long floods bunds only in Punjab. The total length of this infrastructure is around 23,000 miles. The company established the Irrigation department to run this huge system however, the system unfortunately deteriorated gradually because of the improper repair and maintenance and the unavailability of required funds. In the light of these circumstances, the chief minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif directed to establish Punjab Irrigation & Drainage Authority (PIDA) which has given the task to ensure the farmers’ participation in the affairs of canal management as well as the extension/ rehabilitation of irrigation infrastructure and to enable it to meet the upcoming challenges.

According to World Bank reports, Pakistan is in the list of such countries of the world that are facing the red zone of water scarcity and it would be the most crucial issue if the arrangements of clean drinking water not made for the fast growing population. The per capita ratio of water availability in Pakistan was 5500 cusecs in 1947 but it has decreased by 1126 cusecs till now. Likewise Pakistan has only two major reservoirs for water storage but with the passage of time, the storage capacity of both the reservoirs has decreased by 20 to 30% due to silt.  Despite of ample sites availability, we could not construct more water reservoirs on Indus, Kabul and Swat rivers.  Due to the enemy’s intrigue of converting Pakistan into desert and the mutual conflicts of our nation, we have not gone through on this vital issue and as a result facing water shortage of 20-35% during the each crop season. Moreover, due to the non construction of sufficient reservoirs, Pakistan faced heavy destruction on account of floods in 2010 which resulted a loss of billions of rupees crop production, livestock, roads, infrastructure and human resource.

Keeping in view the importance of water in agriculture sector, PIDA has provided the farmers an opportunity to distribute the irrigation water equitably by involving them in canals management. The farmers will also be responsible to keep the water channels in appropriate condition for the sustainable service delivery.

PIDA has promoted the concept of participatory irrigation management by realizing the farmers that they are the owner of their destiny. For this purpose, the Area Water Boards at main canal and Farmers Organizations at distributary levels have been established with the appropriate representation of farmers. There have been set up Area Water Boards in Lower Chenab Canal (east), Lower Chenab Canal (west), Lower Bari Doab Canal circle, Bahawalnagar Canal circle and Dera Jaat Canal circle of Punjab till now. In these Area Water Boards, 84 FOs in LCC (east), 67 in LCC (west), 69 in Bahawalnagar circle, 43 in LBDC Sahiwal, and 60 FOs in Dera Jaat canal circle have been constituted through transparent elections process and given the participation in irrigation management. PIDA has especially focused in the capacity building of these FOs and their members are being provided the trainings regarding office management, technical and revenue matters of canal affairs. Likewise, the internal audit system of these farmers’ organizations also has been devised and activated. The FOs have remarkably gained the benefits from the irrigation sector reforms.

The international development agencies like Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), World Bank and Asian Development Bank also have offered their technical and financial cooperation after observing the achievements of FOs. Due to the results of irrigation sector reforms, these development agencies have provided the necessary funds for the further rehabilitation and revamping of irrigation infrastructure. The JICA provided Rs. 17804 millions for the rehabilitation of LCC system, Asian Development Bank Rs. 17178 millions for the improvement of Lower Bari Doab Canal system and World Bank has provided Rs.8000 millions funds for the revamping of Jinnah Barrage and Islam Head works. The Asian Development Bank has further agreed to provide the $650 million for the completion of ongoing projects of irrigation improvement. Likewise, another Punjab Irrigation System Improvement project (PISIP) has been launched especially focusing the rehabilitation of water channels in southern Punjab.

In present scenario, it is necessary to realize the public that the state assets are their own property and have been established by the public money so they should own and take care of them. The government is trying to make the irrigation sector reforms successful with the active involvement of farmers by realizing them the contribution and key role of Punjab province to fulfill the nutritional needs of the country. Punjab is actually the largest house of agro production in the country which produces food grain also for other provinces of Pakistan. This way, the success of institutional reforms in irrigation sector of Punjab is directly beneficial for the people of other provinces of Pakistan.

The participation of farmers in irrigation management will help curtail the theft of canal water while the improvement in the collection of water charges (abiana) is also expected. The farmers managed irrigation system has also helped in minimizing the mutual disputes of rural people especially related to irrigation water. This approach will also enhance their self confidence and the courage to bear each other as well as the care of neighbors’ rights. The country will automatically go in the way of agricultural development when the farmers work with mutual cooperation.

The situation of water scarcity in Pakistan demands us to perform our responsibilities at both, individual and national level for the conservation of water.

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By Qudrat Ullah
No other nation or any ethnic community, in the known world history, has ever been entrapped in the longest protracted conflict as the Hindus and Muslim of sub-continent are, since 712 AD, when the legendary Muslim general Muhammad Bin Qasim attacked India. Historically speaking, both the nations are prisoners of a zero sum game since then when earliest groups of Muslims set foot on this part of the world, where a rigid socio-cultural system of religious superiority of one ethnic class known as Brahmans was strictly imposed; and challenged the archaic Hindu mythology with a new and superior code of life, called Islam.
Non-Brahman communities were soon attracted by the puritan teachings of Islamic socio-religious equality, consummate love & tolerance and started converting to Islam in large numbers. As Islam always heralded a social change wherever it went, it so did in the sub-continent. Muslims challenged centuries old socio-religious exploitation of the human beings in guise of a rigid quasi-religion and gave the indigent strata much needed socio-cultural equality and hope, which was hitherto unknown to the majority of the population.
The subsequent history of South Asia is but a witness to a continuous struggle between the two leading communities, and the endless saga is still going on. The 9/11 imbroglio has given it an extended dimensions as India is trying its utmost to destabilize Pakistan by vilifying wheeling-dealing through newfound friends like USA & Israel.
While talking more specifically about the position of Pakistan vis-a-vis India, it should be safely understood that it has already failed to design, develop and put into action a composite strategy against the arch enemy, known as India, because of its failure in institutionalization of policy formation. This is partly because of weak and not so infallible leadership.
On the other hand, Indians have successfully developed world class institutions in many sectors like policy study & research, defence and security, intelligence, economy, politics and education. Meanwhile, country specific Indian institutions are also paying to provide necessary background material to the Indian Establishment, army or the external affairs ministry for policy formation. In fact, Indian Establishment’s mantra of “Greater India” is a calculative move to reign in the divergent ethnicity and multiculturalism. Democracy and burgeoning film and IT industry are other wheels of fortune. Furthermore, Indian professionals are regrouping in world institutions like IMF, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, United Nations and EU etc where they can manipulate international policies in favor of India.
Policy cohesion among Indians is what we should learn from and put into practice here too. Despite much acrimony between political parties, there is complete harmony on the core issue of Kashmir in India; while we have failed to develop composite Kashmir policy to sensitize the world in our favor. Meanwhile, the post 9/11 traumatized USA needed new allies in the South Asia and India provided her much needed support in shape of material and man power to entangle Pakistan from within. It also has succeeded in mobilizing world support against Kashmiri freedom movement and Pakistan’s policy stance on bilateral issues. Today, Indian shenanigans carry more weightage in world fora because of West’s continuous government and the media support to the Indian policies vis-à-vis Pakistan.
On the other hand, regrettably, Pakistan’s response to Indian hegemonic designs is poor, inadequate and even not well calculated. At present, while Pakistan is facing ad-hocism in its policies, India, on the other hand, is working to dampen down neighboring Pakistan in multiple ways.
It has successfully blocked Pakistan’s legitimate share of water allowed under Indus Basin Agreement; not only that, it has also built as many as 62 illegal hydro-power plants/structures over the Pak waters to ensure that Pakistan did not get even a drop of river water for its agriculture. The response of the federal government in Pakistan is very poor; rather it’s totally mum and reluctant to lodge any protest at the international fora. India’s larger presence in American led Afghanistan is another blow to strategic interests of Pakistan. Indian engineers are working to build a large Dam over Kabul River to block its water’s passage to Pakistan. India’s hidden interest in Iran Pakistan Gas Pipeline Project is basically meant to delay this vital project as long as possible so that Pakistan could not get any new energy source for its energy-starved industry.
American future strategic supply lines from Central Asia will route through Balochistan to Gwadar; therefore India is also discreetly supporting irredentism in Balochistan. Emerging politico-military dimension of bilateral relation between India and USA is fervently against Pakistan. Similarly, growing Indo-Israeli military cooperation for advanced hi-tech military equipment and hardware is another looming threat for Pakistan’s security. By 2009, bilateral military trade has already touched US$9 billion. Currently, India is the largest customer of Israeli military hardware and second largest economic partner. Both are also undertaking joint military exercises/ training programs and cooperating in space technology. India is enjoying the best of both worlds in shape of USA and Israel.
In this backdrop, Pakistan has little options; although it has successfully developed indigenous nuclear capability against India and China is a long-standing trustworthy friend, yet Pakistani Establishment should look for new options to defend the country against any joint Indo-Israeli operation. Post cold-war scenario is economically dependent, nations are turning to economic self-reliance and Pakistan should vigorously pursue its share in the international markets as WTO regime has already set in new economic cold war. Pakistan should look towards other options like enhancing joint cooperation with South East Asian nations, earning from their experiences, especially from tiny Singapore would be good for us, where Lee Kwan Yew worked hard to make it world’s 9th biggest economy. New techniques should be employed to achieve food autarky and economic diplomacy should be proactively pursued by the political managers. Pakistan must also invest heavily in energy sector as no industry can be developed without it. New hydel power plants should be developed on canals. It is all the more important that communication infrastructure should be developed across the country, inter-provincial issues should be handled politically and the Centre should sufficiently increase provinces’ share in federal divisible pool. There is need to decrease size and number of federal as well as provincial departments in the light of 18th amendment and abolishment of concurrent list.
Pakistan is standing at the cross-road of opportunity where it must stand-out to engage the nemesis in the immediate periphery. Otherwise, Indian sponsored spate of terrorism will make Pakistan an easy prey for the trio of USA-Israel and India.

By Qudrat Ullah
In Pakistan, the unchecked and more than needed population explosion has heightened the need to ensure uninterrupted access to improved drinking-water supply, especially in mega cities like Karachi and Lahore where traces of multiple deadly rudiments including the human feces are reported by laboratory reports. This shows height of criminal neglect exhibited by the civic bodies towards public right of safe drinking water. Provision of pure water to all the people by the government is not only a basic need and precondition for a healthy life but it is also a vital human right of all the people which mustn’t be ignored at any cost. The whole edifice of human life revolves round it.
Various improved water supply technologies have been developed by the modern world nations which included household connections, public standpipes, boreholes, protected dug-wells, protected springs and rainwater collections.
It is reported in the media many times that the global water shortage of affordable and safe drinking water is conspicuously visible in Pakistan with an estimated 44 percent of the total population is without any access to safe drinking water. This paucity of clean drinking water can be more visibly seen in rural areas where up to 90 percent of the inhabitants may lack such access. On the other side, only three percent of Pakistan’s sweet water resources are used for household purposes and drinking. As one warning of the high-scale of the drinking problem prevalent in our society and the public ignorance of it, it is anticipated that more than 2.5 lakh infant children die of diarrheal diseases every year. Results of five years National Water Quality Monitoring Programme which covers 23 major cities, 8 Rivers, 9 lakes and many reservoirs show widespread bacteriological contaminants in the drinking water. Chemical contaminants in drinking water such as arsenic, fluoride and nitrate are discovered at various locations. Arsenic contamination is found in southern Punjab and central Sindh. Contamination in drinking water is the major cause of many serious water borne diseases.
Water is accepted in Islamic teachings as an essential source of life; of which, everybody has the right to a fair share. According to a Hadith, it was stated by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) “Muslims have common share in three (things): grass, water and fire”. Moreover, the Holy Quran has also warned the human beings against unfair distribution of common goods and Islamic scholars concur that Islam forbids unfair assumptions, exploitation and uneven earnings of common goods like water.
It is pity that even in this era of 21st century, majority of the population is destined to use or drink from unkempt and polluted water system and due to that, various problems have arisen-increasing the number of terminal diseases like Hepatitis etc. For those who can afford to avoid this unclean drinking water, bottled water is the only solution. Therefore, many in Pakistan have turned to bottled water as an apt substitute to drinking unfiltered faucet water or contaminated water of other sources where there is no public drinking water service. Average person consumes just two liters of bottled water per annum in Pakistan, compared to four in India and 10 in China. While bottled water is an awfully classy alternative to safe drinking water problem; it has been reported many times in the media that it is not for all time fit for human health because intermittent testing of contaminants and sporadic inspection of processing plants show that not all bottled water plants are being run according to health and hygiene standards set forth by the U.N.
Bottled water, it may be noted, should not be taken as an appropriate replacement to a sufficient service of tap-water as due to the lack of it, hapless buyers are forced to use bottled water. During the past thirty years, use of bottled water is increasingly moved up the world over, as it has become a global phenomenon. Bottled water sector, despite its excessively high price compared to tap water, is measured as one of the powerful sectors of all the food and beverage trade as its consumption increases by an average of 12% every year. Government has termed the bottled water market, with 33 million liters of consumption per annum in 1999, as small but positively on the rise. It is envisaged that a bottle of 1.5 liters has a production cost of Rs. 12.51 only. In United States, bottled water costs between 0.25 dollar to 2 dollar per bottle, while tap water costs less than US$0.01. This shows high rate of return in this field.
In our country, there are approximately twenty to thirty companies engaged in this business. Official figures show an estimated number of 26 corporations, while in summer time, this number increases up to 70. But from the perspective of quality control, Pakistan Council of Renewal Water Resources is witnessing a fluctuation in the market of 50 percent, e.g. half of the brands disappear and are replaced by new brands every year. Recently, it is told to the Lahore High Court that out of a total of 64 bottled and mineral water manufacturing companies in Punjab, only 10 are working under valid licences.
For the interest of the common readers, it may be added here that MNCs engaged in bottled water business are very powerful in our country where there is little room for the rule of law. One case is particular to note; on December 31, 2004, the Supreme Court approved the decision of the Lahore High Court, which dismissed a Rs. 6.35 million Pakistan Railways contract that granted Classic Needs Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd exclusive rights to sell bottled water to Railway passengers during 2004/2005. Furthermore, the Court directed the Railways administration to revoke the present contract, invite fresh bids and award the contract of bottled water supply to a firm after examination of water by a credible laboratory. Classic Needs Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd is the exclusive distributor of Nestlé’s ‘Pure Life’ which is its own brand. The Supreme Court declared the bottled water being supplied to passengers unfit for consumption and injurious to health. The decision of the Supreme Court was based on two different reports. The report of Pakistan Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (PCSIR) declared that both companies were bottling clean and healthy water; but the second report submitted by National Health Centre Islamabad, disclosed that even though mineral water products by both companies were contaminated, Nestlé water had a ‘low risk’ factor while the Classic Needs water was ‘high risk’. The then Supreme Court Justices namely Khalilur Rehman Ramday and Falak Sher took serious view of the reports and observed that the firms were making the people consume poisonous water and taking advantage of rail passengers as particularly captive buyers, as no hygienic water was available at Platforms and inside trains. But nothing happened afterwards and even media is silent on the issue. Bottled water sector has great scope to expand but it’s also need to develop composite regulatory authority to keep a constant check on quality and price.
We are facing a serious water challenge as Pakistan’s water quality ranks at 80th out of 122 nations. As a consequence, Government has to spend about Rs. 20 billion annually on medication for water borne diseases. In fact, water sector is repeatedly ignored by successive governments and due to that, Pakistan is also rapidly losing its legitimate water share of Rivers under Indus Basin Treaty. Due to that, severe effects have started to appear in our society like depletion of water level in cities grounds, lack of water in canals and rapid drying of Rivers.
This situation shows that criminal neglect has been shown by the public sector in providing clean drinking water to the people and on the other hand, government is also neglecting its obligations towards implementing laws for a healthy society. If we want to emerge as healthy, vibrant and developed nation in 21st century, then we will have to implement laws in their true spirit as no democracy can flourish without the rule of law.
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With the tremendous trade and industrial progress of the United States in the last quarter of 19th century, the private sector turned to the idea of high-rises when prime urban lands became scanty and pricey. First ten-storey high-rise was developed by Home Insurance Building way back in 1885 in Chicago, USA and it was considered as one of the architectural wonders of the contemporary age.
Like elsewhere, high-rises acquired much popularity on account of accommodating more business & trade offices and saving valuable urban space, all over the world. Particularly high-rise developing culture set the high-pace in Lahore during last two decades when there was little adherence to the building bye-laws, so big plazas mushroomed rapidly without any urban planning. Besides numerous illegal multi-storey plazas, there are also some buildings where approval for few floors was obtained but, while starkly ignoring the aspect of human safety or provision of proper parking facility, additional floors were constructed, by the powerful plaza builders, with the connivance of the corrupt officials of LDA, backed by the then political figures. Actually, illegal multi-storey buildings in different cities of the Punjab province, including the provincial metropolis, are the result of an unholy alliance between the corporate fat cows bent upon earning quick bucks and dishonest officials of the departments concerned. Furthermore, it was easy job for building contractors to earn hefty profits by building plazas with little regard to quality of material and infrastructure. The fall of Margalla Towers in Islamabad during the October 8, 2005 earthquake, is a tragic reminder of this mindset. With the passage of time, unchecked commercialization of residential areas in big cities proved the real fag end.
The urban planning got more worsened during the corrupt regime of Gen. Pervaiz Musharraf when the troika of plaza developers, city planners and political flunkeys, especially in Lahore, joined hands to cash in on the good fortune by every possible way. Relevant rules and bye-laws were relaxed to benefit the chosen one. Lust of a few high and mighty resulted in haphazard rather illegal construction of multi-storey buildings at every big road, which completely changed the natural landscape of Lahore. Moreover, safety features were kept in view in the construction of high-rise buildings, which could result in a tragedy in case of any powerful jolt.
The Lahorites are paying the big price of this ugly commercialism with their troubled daily life as the builders and city mafias have turned the once beautiful “city of gardens” into a nauseating commercial zone; occupied with unplanned jumbo plazas, having little spaces for parking and diaphanous alleyways failing to accommodate the visiting crowd. It may be added here that 12 percent front space is required to accommodate parking. Due to the lack of this, the city malls remain jam-packed with shopping enthusiasts, often finding no place for parking.
It was in this taut situation that Chief Justice of the apex court of Pakistan, while taking a suo moto notice of the untoward situation, imposed ban on multi-storey buildings to put right the already worsened situation and to develop composite strategy for future commercialization. A high powered Commission under the chairmanship of Mr. Justice, Riaz Kiani was set up by the Supreme Court of Pakistan to take a detailed view of the situation. This Commission undertook detailed examination of the plazas’ growth, identified violations and recommended the proper action plan. After this, the SCP directed the Punjab Government to go ahead to improve the situation.
According to the report prepared by the Commission, complete and partial razing of some 18 high-rise buildings in the provincial capital has been recommended. Other than this, the Commission has also proposed complete and partial demolition of buildings constructed on plot number 16, Civic Center, New Garden Town, plot number 81, Ali Block, New Garden Town and plot number 10, Civic Center, New Garden Town. It has also been pointed out that the top story of Mega Tower has been constructed without any approval, while three floors of Ashrafi Towers, four floors of Rehman Towers, four floors of Hassan Tower, two floors of Jeff Heights, two floors of Harmain Tower and two floors of Salar Tower were also constructed illegally and without the approval of LDA authorities.
In compliance with the directions of the apex court, Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has directed the LDA and the city district government to formulate a comprehensive and effective system for checking the construction of illegal multi-storey buildings in the province, ensuring that no plaza could be constructed without proper construction plan and observance of relevant bye-laws.
It is a good omen that the Punjab government has termed the construction of plazas in violation of rules and regulations a crime and in addition to taking stern action against such elements, an effective strategy will now be adopted so that no such monstrous structure could be developed unlawfully in future. LDA has identified as many as 400 illegal buildings in its control area in Lahore for taking action.
The Chief Minister Punjab has also ordered formation of a committee for such low-end plazas and buildings where minor violations have been committed and poor people are earning their livelihood. Under his direction, a separate policy will be evolved for action against such structures. Meanwhile, various circles of society and the national media have expressed their satisfaction over the operation against multi-storey buildings as no political pressure is accepted and mighty builders of the past are treated equally before the law. Punjab Government has asked LDA and city government to submit a timeframe for action, after categorization of the plazas, which are to be completely or partially demolished in the provincial metropolis.
In the light of policy guidelines of the government, action is being taken against unlawfully constructed multi-storey plazas expeditiously and services of 20 firms, having necessary skills and machinery, have been hired for this purpose. City district government has also set up a separate wing for action against illegal constructions and measures are been taken to purge the department of corrupt and inefficient elements who failed in the past to keep a close check on the mushrooming of high-rises.
There is no doubt that illegal multi-storey buildings have badly disfigured the once beautiful landscape of the provincial metropolis and the elements involved in the construction of such shoddy edifices deserve no leniency and action should be taken against illegal plazas without caring for any pressure. The Punjab Government should also improve its control over city planning and relevant officials should be made to work more efficiently and honestly. The Supreme Court of Pakistan has again proved that it is the true defender of people’s rights and now no one is above the law. The message of the apex court is crystal-clear, loud and builders cannot ignore it. The general public response has been good and they have termed it a step in the right direction which would help in improving the city planning.
Thanks to the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the city skyline is being reshaped to accommodate beauty and public confidence.
This is the real essence of democracy we were waiting for.
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Pakistan and India are the two estranged bed fellows destined to live in the close proximity of each other. Both the antagonists share a long and complicated history of conflicts, internecine and protracted wars which further widened the historical divide. In fact, religion based socio-political spar between Hindus and Muslims in South Asia can be termed as the primal example of Clash of Civilization theory. The history of Sub-Continent is but a witness to continuous chasm between different faiths and ethnic minorities as they continually effort to survive in an environment of insular browbeat. The great divide of 1947 did not end the historical divide but proved force multiplier with India being the hegemonic player and Pakistan the prime victim.
Pakistan, as the history proves, is the only country after Israel which has faced résistance and cross-border terrorism by a hegemonic neighbor the size of India. But unlike Israel which not only gets unequivocal support from the international Jewish community but has also established a world-class spy agency like MOSSAD and secured it security interests vis-à-vis hostile Arabs; Pakistan, on the other hand, has miserably failed to protect its vital national security interests because we failed in institutional building. The fault line in our policy planning is the Establishment which considers policy development as its exclusive domain-beyond the reach of any other institution. Furthermore, Pakistan is also suffering from heroism syndrome. We worship our temporal heroes and abate state institutions for petty gains. This has hampered strong institution building in Pakistan while neighboring India strengthened the provincial autonomy and made its institutions more vibrant and proactive to keep the multi-ethnic multi-cultural society intact. Its leaders also believe that popular democracy is the only panacea for the ordinary people. Therefore, they sell it well- both inside and outside to gain economic, military and political mileage against traditional enemies like China and Pakistan.
The 62 years history shows our never-ending disregard towards institutionalization of policy planning and rationale analyses. There is hardly any decision making process in Pakistan at any level. We did not even bother to develop an institutionalized approach for understanding the Bengali nationalism in its true perspective. And the end result was the debacle of 1971. Post 1971 scenario was also marred with growth of rivaling Sindhi and Mohajir jingoism, Baloch insurgency and frequent Bonapartism. The situation gets even worse when Establishment tries to control federation with some sporadic administrative and coercive measures, ignoring the sentiments of the people.
On the contrary, almost all the developed nations of the world have already setup their multimillion dollar research and policy planning institutions to safeguard their foreign policy and economic interests in the rapidly changing world and to provide necessary intellectual input to the political leadership for decision making. They have given an institutionalized approach to the statecraft. Even the USA is giving utmost importance to this aspect. The Policy Planning Staff at the Department of State, USA was created way back in 1947 by George Kennan at the request of then Secretary of State George C. Marshall. It serves as a source of independent policy analyses and advice for the Secretary of State. The Policy Planning Staff's mission is to take a longer term, strategic view of global trends and frame necessary recommendations for the Secretary of State to advance US interests globally. Its mission is “to serves as an internal think tank for the Department of State-undertaking broad analytical studies of regional and functional issues, identifying gaps in policy, and initiating policy planning and formulation to fill these gaps.” Recently, the Staff has also included foreign service officers, academics from universities and think tanks, intelligence analysts, former Congressional staffers, an emergency room physician, a retired military officer, a business consultant, an arms control expert, and an economist. This section also serves as an institutionalized "second opinion" on policy matters - providing recommendations and alternative courses of action to the Secretary of State.
Modern nations do not trust their bureaucracy for decision making or policy planning. They have their institutionalized infrastructure for this purpose. A study in the early 2009 has found that a total of 5,465 think tanks are working worldwide. Of that number, 1,777 are based in the United States and approximately 350 in Washington, DC alone. This shows important role of think tanks in the policy analyses and global planning. On the contrary, Muslim world is still intellectually impoverished, struggling to cope with the issues like terrorism, poverty, women rights and dictatorship. It has no leadership to steer the Muslim nations to prosperity and development. Regrettably, the Islamic world, which was a center of learning a thousand years ago, is far behind the West in terms of technological development today. On the other hand, Israel, the 100th smallest country, with less than 1/1000th of the world's population, can lay claim to have the highest ratio of university degrees to the population in the whole world. Israel leads the world in the number of scientists and technicians in the workforce, with 145 per 10,000, as opposed to 85 in the US, over 70 in Japan, and less than 60 in Germany. With over 25% of its work force employed in technical professions, Israel places first in this category as well. And not last but least, Israel's $100 billion economy is larger than all of its immediate neighbors combined.
Perhaps, the trouble lies in our ineffective system and mindset of the ruling clique in Muslim countries, which have failed to deliver while the corrupt and self-servient bourgeoisie is plundering resources and playing with the destiny of the people.
In a post 9/11 scenario, Pakistan is left to counter the new axis of enemies with India playing the leading role to stage an all-out warfare against Pakistan. According to a media report, approximately 120 countries are developing ways to use the Internet as a weapon and target financial markets, government computer systems and utilities. This great game is being fought both psychological as well as militarily by our foes. Axis of enemies perceives Pakistan's ideological and geographical position as a stumbling block against the grand chess board of political and ideological hegemony. We should, therefore, remember that a policy of strewn reaction never wins warfare; we will have to have the acuity of a mutual adversary to mold public opinion for national cohesion.
It is a good omen that our forces have defeated the Taliban terrorists but the bigger war is yet to be fought and that is the struggle of survival in an age of economic and military rivalries. In this complex situation, Pakistan is needed to develop think tank institutions to study primal enemy like India and its weaknesses should be learnt for their prompt exploit in our favour. India is already reaping the fruits of as many as 14 Pakistan study centres’ discreet research which keep on probing our domestic weaknesses and their work helps the Indian Establishment in proper policy framework vis-à-vis Pakistan. It is therefore, expedient for Pakistani Establishment to institutionalize the policy planning and a Pakistan Institute of India Studies (PIIS) should be set up, in the initial phase, for institutionalized planning involving all stakeholders. However, its fate should not be like that of federally funded Centre for South Asian Studies (CSAS) at Punjab University, Lahore which is not only working sans a regular/permanent Director for quite some time but has only one Ph.D. researcher- and that too from the University hierarchy. Other Ph.D. researcher Dr. Jehangir Tamimi has since been retired and is given two years extension on reaching the age of superannuation, for academic work- if there is any.
Unfortunately, we have a habit to react in haste against local and global happenings that have some relation to Pakistan and Pakistani public is deliberately kept divided among themselves by their opinion leaders. It is a win-win situation for everyone to twist our arms as a state and ask us to do what is not in our interest. Only institutionalized approach will counter it.
Will we ever learn to fight back with vengeance?
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