Since the world came into existence, crises have been the part and parcel of the universe. The process of crumbling-down of many phenomena in our ecosystem causes balance and some geographical changes have given rise to the emergence of new civilization. Geographical changes prepare man how to deal with changing scenario Flood, earthquake, hurricane and volcanic eruptions pose many challenges to the people and in such trying situation, the main dominating factor is the safety and welfare of the people to which the authorities should not remained impervious. The term management of crisis should be understood in wider perspective as it necessitates prompt response to rescue and relief operations. It includes well-thought planning aiming at reconstruction, rehabilitation and development of the affected populations and regions.
In on-going decade, Pakistan have experienced many crises of which those of physical nature have been the historically worst earthquake of October 2004 and now the current flood encapsulated the major geographical areas of the country. In both these worst circumstances, the government have remained failed to actively respond to the human disaster which claimed many lives of innocent peoples as well as destruction of infrastructure. The only institution came to rescue the helpless and hapless people have been the Pakistan Army which is almost there in all such situations. It is quite inefficient approach that only army should have been supposed to play its role to deal with the crises whiles the fact is that army should work as a supporting unit with crisis management cell which we have not established in broader sense of the word. It is distressing to say that we have not learnt any lesson from the earthquake disaster of October 2004 and have not adopted any result-oriented strategy to deal with natural calamities. In spite of spending millions of rupees and receiving massive foreign aids, we have not structured a separate crises management cell capable of working beyond any political pressure. The result was the amassing and concentration of foreign aids within the few political and bureaucratic circles and as a result peoples at large remained deprived.
Crises management should be understood not only within the perspectives of natural disasters rather it should be treated with any such situation which involves the risk of human health and safety. Take for example the ambulance and fire brigade system in the country, ironically, we don’t have any organised system of calling ambulance or fire brigade when need arises. What happened to aerial disaster of air blue in Margalla Hills, we lacked any such equipment and well-trained rescue personnel to immediately counter the challenges. Due to lack of such robust institutions, the fire in Shah Almi Market in Lahore charred the shops reducing them to ashes and even the available fire brigade could not control the situation. Same can be witnessed when a massive bridge in Karachi crumble down killing many peoples and city administration remained silent spectator. These painful experiences have underlined the need for a separate and well coordinated establishment of Crises Management Cell (CMC) in every city of the country. Keeping in view the necessity of such institution, separate budgetary allocations should be made available for such cells equipped with latest rescue technology.In a wake of October 2004 earthquake, the government have established Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority (ERRA) in Pakistan and State Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency (SERRA) in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The fact is that while establishing such institutions, the main logic of crises management have been thrown to the dustbin and functional nature of these institutions is limited to mere paper works characterised with bureaucratic practices. Instead of doling out the foreign aids and relief goods to the deserving peoples, it is spent on the administration and luxurious style of these personnel recruited on heavy perks and emoluments; whereas in case of sudden calamities or disasters, these so-called institutions are unable to cope with the situation. What ERRA and SERRA have done to the flood-affected people? Their very names show that these are supposed to become functional only in situations like earthquake ignoring the wider perspective of crises management. Since the earthquake happened, large number of affected people is still from pillar to post awaiting help and support of the government.
The worth-mentioning thing is the role of non-governmental organisation or national societies working on rescue and relief operations. The societies cater to the needs of the affected peoples from humanitarian perspective and work as main link with public organisations so as to chalk out National Preparedness Plan (NPP) incorporating all the facets of disasters in relief operations. One such instance can be observed from the work of international development organisations; and the modus operandi of these organisations involves the overall need assessment of the disasters. As seen in this context, only military establishment assumes the responsibility of rescues operations, the comprehensive implications of need assessment in disasters are usually ignored. Therefore, it is imperative that the organizations entrusted with the task of relief and rescue operations, should assess the nature of emergency situation and set the objectives before implementing any such strategy. Such organisation providing relief without need assessment of disaster impact are bound to fail resulting in unnecessary and inappropriate efforts going in wrong direction. It is judiciously structured crises management cells only able to actively handle the disasters and calamities. The reason is that crises management cells respond to such situation with three important aspects i.e. analysis and assessment of situation, selection of objectives and alternatives, implementation of policy in lines with the objectives and need assessment of the disasters. While carrying out the relief operations by military personnel, such basic things are usually ignored; while in contrary, the crises management cells adopt the approach of technical specialisation.
In a consequence of flood disaster, the Prime Minister Mr. Gelani frequently announced three commissions to deal with the aftermaths of flood, but it beggars the description that how they will work, and what strategy they going to adopt keeping in view the nature of massive flood; as no single progress have been made by these commissions and they exits in papers only having nothing to do with ground realities of the disaster. Reports are in the air that these commissions comprised of the peoples who are on good speaking terms with the Prime Minster; and in spite of spending massive amount of money on meetings and visits, the commissions could not be made operational. Instead of squandering large chunk of public funds and financial aids on foreign visits and empty commissions, it will be better to set up crises management cell on modern pattern as are in operation in developed countries of the world.
Writer is associated with Press For Peace (PFP) as Director Research and can be access at: shah@pressforpeace.org.uk
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