Month: December 2011
Gilgit-Baltistan:Child Protection in Pakistan
The two-day consultation on ‘Adapting System Approach to Child Protection in Pakistan’ concluded with a consensus among provinces to share modules and standard operating procedures (SOP) in order to get benefit from positive experiences of one another.
Organised by the Child Rights Legal Centre (CRLC) in collaboration with Save the Children, the consultation revealed an important fact that the government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) apparently had a lead in child protection mechanism with its Child Welfare Department actively involving stakeholders in various projects.
However the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) government was also working on many projects for child protection. Representatives of the KPK government asked the government of AJK to share their modules and experiences so that they could also follow in the footsteps of the AJK government.
One of the lamenting facts that came into limelight is that the Punjab government, which has taken the initiative of child protection a decade ago, is now lagging behind all provinces.
Having a centralised system to provide child protection services was another suggestion that managed to build consensus. The participants of the consultation believed that instead of working in small segments that costs resources, it is better to have a centralized system, which would also avoid duplication and increase efficiency.
Addressing on the occasion, KPK Child Protection Unit (CPU) Head Ijaz Khan said that they have managed to introduce the KPK Child Protection Act 2010 in which they have tried to cover the children at risk. “We have introduced CPU in provincial capital (Peshawar) in which these centres have been established in eight districts,” he said.
Sharing the challenges in the implementation of the Act, he said that there are many issues in the law related to the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). “I think some of the issues should be dealt with separately rather they require a separate legislation,” he said.
Gilgit-Baltistan Assistant Chief (P&D) Ahsan Ghani, addressing on the occasion, said that they were establishing the Child Protection Units in Gilgit-Baltistan. “GB is a new set-up where we have many economic, social and cultural problems. However we are trying to overcome problems through networking and coordination,” he said.- News
Gilgit-Baltistan:Strick Check & Balance Introduced in Hospitals?
Astore (Pak.Obs): Minister for Health Gilgit Baltistan (GB) Haji Gulbar Khan on Saturday urged the doctors and paramedical staff to perform their duties sincerely and regularly. Talking to media here, he said that several complaints were received in the past that some doctors and other staff are getting salaries without performing duties.
He said “we have introduced strict check and balance system in the hospitals and would take stern actions against the doctors and paramedical staff, who are not performing their duties punctually,”.
Gilgit-Baltistan: 37 Hydel Projects in GB
Gilgit (RP): Thirty seven hydel power projects are being constructed to overcome electricity shortage in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Official sources have disclosed in Gilgit that two separate gird stations one each for Gilgit and Skardu will also be set up.
They said there will be no change in load shedding schedule due to low flow of water in the streams.
Gilgit-Baltistan: Promoting Winter Tourism in GB
Gilgit (PT): Gilgit – Baltistan is one of the most naturally gifted regions of the world, where all four seasons can be witnessed in their extreme and relatively natural form.
When the times were good, the robust tourism industry used to provide livelihood to thousands of people during the summer and spring seasons. But, since September 9/11, the flow of tourists to this region has gradually dwindled, reaching a new low due to uncertain law and order situation in other parts of the country, as well as Gilgit city.
Despite all this, no serious thought has, ever, been given to promotion of the phenomena of winter tourism, for which there are ample opportunities in the region.
Can the government start seriously exploring the potential of winter tourism in GB, or is it just wishful thinking?
Gilgit-Baltistan: GB Chief Court Acquits 7 ATC Convicted Men
Gilgit (PT): The Chief Court of Gilgit-Baltistan has acquitted seven men, convicted by an Anti-Terrorism Court, in a case of murder of ten people including DFO Taighoon Nabi.
A Division Bench of the Chief Court, comprising Justice Raja Jalal and Justice Sahib Khan, accepted the appeal of Nazir Ahmed, Amjad, Eqtedar, Ashfaq, Etrat Hussain, Waseem and Hashim against the decision of anti-terrorism court, setting aside their capital punishment.
All the seven men were arrested for their allegedly involvement in the murder of Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Taighoon Nabi and other nine people who took refuge in his house during the January 8, 2005 sectarian riots that erupted in Gilgit city after an attack on Syed Agha Zia Uddin, a renowned Shia cleric. He passed away in Rawalpindi on January 13, not recovering from fatal injuries.
Around 14 people, including a director of the government health department and five members of Taighun Nabi’s family, were murdered on that day in targeted killings.
The accused had been awarded capital punishment by the anti terrorism court but on their review appeal, the chief court has set them free, and declared the decision of ATC null and void.
Gilgit-Baltistan:Distribution of Edibles Completes
Hunza (RP): In Upper Hunza‚ the distribution process of edibles provided by China to the affectees of Attaabad lake has been completed.
Our Gilgit Baltistan correspondent reports that Hunza Nagar administration‚ Ismaili Regional Council and volunteer distributed the items including Ghee‚ Rice Atta‚ Sugar and diesel and coal.
Gilgit-Baltistan:GB Council Meeting held in Islamabad
Islamabad (RP): A meeting of Gilgit Baltistan Council was held in Islamabad on Wednesday. Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan Mian Manzoor Wattoo presided.
The meeting deliberated upon setting up of hydro electric board in Gilgit Baltistan.
Council sources said that the recommendations of the meeting will be sent to Prime Minister for approval of the project.
Gilgit-Baltistan: Sectarian Violence the only curse for GB
For the last one decade Pakistan has been facing the worst kind of law and order. From Fata to Karachi, Pakistan has been constantly embroiled in conflicts that have created quasi civil warlike situations. Although, the region of Gilgit-Baltistan has remained immune from Islamists’ militancy, ethnic violence and nationalist insurgency, it has suffered from sectarian violence for last two decades.
Recently, Gilgit city and its suburbs have seen a new element of violence in the shape of target killings. Given the scale of violence and terrorism at the national level, it is difficult for Gilgit to be in the limelight of print and electronic media. And though in terms of the number of causalities it seems less in intensity, its repercussions on the overall social fabric are deeper.
Gilgit city is situated in a very important geo-strategic location as it connects different valleys and functions as a gateway to China. Because of its geo-strategic location Gilgit has historically remained vulnerable to various invasions and geo-political changes in surrounding polities. The sectarian violence in Gilgit is a result of a long historical process wherein the society gradually lost its traditional base of kinship and exposed to new mode of governance and social arrangements through modern institutions in colonial and post-colonial periods.
Disintegration of the traditional social order resulted in an identity crisis at the collective level. In the absence of a traditional set up of society and empowered institutions, people resorted to religion to establish a collective identity. While doing so the people severed connections with those elements of culture that do not fit within the mould of modern religious identities at the collective level. The rupture with traditional governance, social arrangements, kinship base and culture appears in the shape of enmity within people from same linguistic, racial and tribal groups during sectarian strife.
While Gilgiti society was experiencing social disintegration, the rulers of the country subjected Gilgit-Baltistan to various experiments of governance. With every new experiment the scourge of sectarian violence only got stronger because modern institutions were not empowered. It was a kinship based relationship that had enabled people to live together despite sectarian clashes since 1988.
But the pluralist nature of society became the first casualty after January 2005 when violent events forced people to migrate from their ancestral abodes to the areas which are dominated by their sect. The situation has further aggravated with the increase in target killings in Gilgit, which have virtually turned Gilgit into a ‘no go’ area. Every week several people fall prey to the spate of target killings. Because of this the residential, commercial areas, hotels, offices and educational institutions have been divided along sectarian lines.
The very term ‘target killing’ is employed in legal jargon because it is different from other kinds of murder in nature. This term is a new entry into the repertoire of violent vocabulary employed by the local people. Target killing is a convenient term to brush every kind of murder under the rubric sectarian strife.
In Gilgit this term is used to refer to assassination on sectarian basis. In order to stem sectarian violence, it is indispensible to decouple the term target killing from other kinds of murder. Vocabulary with sectarian and violent connotation paves the way for violent mentality. Tacit acceptance of violent nomenclature by the society contributes to sectarian mentality and violence.
Ironically, the local police has also found target killing a useful term to shirk from its duty of ascertaining the nature of every murder and tends to dub every murder as a target killing. Our nation has an uncanny talent to cast the state of the art technology within its idiosyncratic mould. Recently, the local police has proudly announced the instalment of CCTV cameras in Gilgit city.
The people of Gilgit hardly get three hours of electricity during the harsh winter season. One wonders how the police will manage to get information about murderers during the long hours of loadshedding. It is obvious that it will be impossible to provide 24 hour surveillance and the perpetrators will have a field day right under these expensive cameras. When the minds and eyes of law fail to comprehend the nature of crime and apprehend the culprits, then it is difficult to believe that the CCTV cameras will be successful.
The above-mentioned facts show a pattern of the lame excuses presented by the local administration to cover up its failure to control the deteriorating law and order situation in Gilgit. To make the local administration and police force more effective it is imperative to revisit tried and tested strategies and train police with modern techniques of investigation to ably deal with the changing nature of violence.
Tragically, in our country those who perpetrate violence update themselves with modern mechanics of violence as compared to the police that still relies upon outdated methods and approaches. The anachronistic approach at the structural level contributes to emboldening of violent elements in society and the failure of law enforcing agencies in the region.
The writer is a social scientist based in Islamabad and can be reached at email: azizalidad@hotmail.com
Gilgit-Baltistan: Nasalo Ritual Started in Hunza-Nagar
Gilgit: Ancient Nasalo ritual has started in Hunza Nagar and other districts of Gilgit Baltistan. The people of the area will be slaughtering animal and the process will continue up to 28th this month.
Nasalo is being done with Yokg‚ Ozes‚ cow‚ Goats and sheep for gaining more calories to avoid harsh cold weather in winter. They freeze meat and store in a suitable place for later use.
Gilgit-Baltistan: First Female DSP of GB
Gilgit (RP): Police Inspector‚ Tahira Yasoob has been promoted as DSP. She is the first lady deputy Superintendent Police of Gilgit Baltistan.
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