Peace is the key

Now the time has come to say goodbye to violence

Javid Ahmad Ahanger

Peace is defined when there is no state of violence, conflict or war. Everyone will argue that peace is humanity’s highest value. Peace and security are the prerequisite conditions for any society, culture, economy and state to prosper and flourish. Jammu and Kashmir once a beautiful abode of peace and harmony has now turned into land of bloodshed and sufferings. Here the important question arises what is the most obvious existing reality of the state of the Jammu and Kashmir? Today again the vicious cycle of violence that is resulting into loss of numerous precious human lives, huge economic loss, property damage, and above all everyday sufferings of common Kashmiris. There is constant atmosphere of insecurity and fear in south Asia as a region and among the people of Kashmir particular. The growing violent state response to political movements in the region especially in Kashmir, not only affected the security but it had greatly harmed the Indo-Pak relations, as there are many unresolved issues between these two nuclear countries and Kashmir being one of them. The use of violence by both States as well as by non-state actors has become greatest obstacle in finding the solution and restoring peace in the state. 

South Asia, as a region is often described-quite rightly-as the utmost dangerous place on globe. Although, SAARC was established to promote regional peace and development, however it remained distant dream only because of Indo-Pak bad relations. As many authors and experts believe that Kashmir can become a Switzerland of Asia, but the tainted relations between the two powers has adversely affected the peace and stability in the South Asia especially in Kashmir also. In most of the South Asian states, popular aspirations for regional aspirations such as right to self-determination and autonomy are perceived by their respective national regimes to be in conflict with their imaginary idea of national identity. Over half a century after independence, the nations of South Asia remain mired in a vicious cycle of poverty, deprivation, and underdevelopment.

Jammu and Kashmir is a landlocked region in South Asia, sandwiched between India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and China. There are a number of conflicts and outstanding disputes between India and Pakistan. However, the Kashmir dispute remains a flash-point of tension between the world’s newest nuclear powers. Pakistani and Indian troops still continue to confront each other on the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir and along the Siachen glacier. Kashmir has often been described as a ‘Paradise on Earth’. However, the nature of conflict and dispute between the India and Pakistan had turned this beautiful region in to a graveyard. The border disputes plus other unresolved issues of contention between India and Pakistan have given this very heaven the tag ‘Hell on Earth’. The onset of militancy in the J&K, started in the late 1980’s and continued for nearly two decades, and have grown from last few years again, further complicated the volatile situation in the region particularly in Kashmir. Today, the word ‘Kashmir’ has become synonymous with torture, death, Human right violation, destruction and genocide in South Asia.  

Kashmir has become entrenched in the minds of Pakistanis and Indians as the single biggest issue facing the South Asia. Kashmir has come to represent very high stakes for both countries in terms of national pride. This pride has given nothing to the people of this unfortunate land except the destruction. Violence has also directly affected important sources of livelihood such as agriculture, horticulture and the handicraft industry. Infrastructure, too, has suffered immensely. The violent atmosphere also induced a sense of resignation and frustration. The common people, caught between the guns of the non-state’ and state actors were more concerned about their survival than about engaging in productive social and economic activities. Both the countries tested their mighty power in the battle field and Kashmir became natural choice to both these countries. 

In present Kashmir normal life has been grossly interrupted and people are forced to live in constant fear of both by state and non-state actors. In fact, state forces have been known to commit severe human rights violations in Kashmir. An Amnesty International report says that “Security forces continued to enjoy virtual impunity for human rights abuses as a result of provisions contained in special security laws, including POTA, as well as in the Protection of Human Rights Act.” On the other hand the public political movements and uprising especially from 2008 were handled with brute forces by the governments in New-Delhi and in Srinagar. The deep rooted frustration among the people of Kashmir again went up recently in 2016 that still continues in one form or the other. There seems no chance of return of peace in the region so that people of Kashmir can inhale the normal air, were life and property of an ordinary Kashmiri can be respected and loved. 

Courtesy:  http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/opinion/peace-is-the-key/273349.html

Supreme Court in PAK intervenes to save Sharda temple

Even as hostilities along borders continue, the Supreme Court of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) converted a letter it received from a Delhi-based Kashmiri Pandit Ravinder Pandita into a petition and directed its government to protect the most revered Hindu shrine Sharda Peeth in Neelam Valley across Karnah tehsil of Kupwara district. Chief Justice Chaudhary Muhammad Ibrahim Zia issued directions to take steps to protect the abandoned temple and also trace other temples and gurdwaras to put them in heritage list for preservation.

Justice Zia had received a letter from Pandita, who is also founder of Save Sharda Committee, in December last week. Taking cognizance of the letter, the court issued notices to the government and asked the Registrar to inform Pandita. "In case failure on the part of state functionaries in carrying out of the judgments, you may approach this court for redress of your grievances (sic)," Registrar Supreme Court Riaz Ahmad wrote to the Save Sharda Committee.

Kashmiri Pandits remain highly devoted towards this ancient temple. The place was also once a celebrated centre of learning in the subcontinent like Nalanda and Taxila. The native script of Kashmiri language, Sarada, is also named after the deity of this temple Sharada Devi.

The committee is seeking protection of Sharda Peeth and other Hindu temples and also permission to restart pilgrimage to this site, like that of Amarnath pilgrimage. The PoK apex court also urged Kashmiri Pandits to approach the authorities concerned in India and Pakistan and authorities in PoK for restarting the pilgrimage. After the first India-Pakistan war on Kashmir in 1947-48, the areas of Mirpur, Muzaffarabad, Neelam Valley and Gilgit-Baltistan came under the control of Pakistan. While Gilgit-Baltistan is now a separate entity, the rest of areas were merged into PoK, which has headquarters in Muzafarabad.

Following the brief 1947-1948 Kashmir war between Pakistan and India, Sharda Peeth came under the control of the newly formed government of PoK. According to Lt General (rtd) Ata Hasnain, who has served along this region, the Neelum Valley is one of the most sensitive sub sectors in the vicinity of the Line of Control (LoC). "From Kel in the North via Athmuqam and Dudniyal to Tithwal (our side) the valley is under the complete domination of the Indian fortified positions along the LoC. There is a cartographic bulge on the eastern side called the Bugina Bulge which is a swathe of territory hugging the slopes of the Shamashabari," he said. He believed that on the pattern of issuing visas for visits to Ajmer Sharif for Pakistani devotees or for Nankana Saheb in Pakistan for Sikh devotees, the same spirit could be extended to Kashmiri Pandits to allow them to visit the Sharda site.

The abandoned temple site was heavily damaged in the October 8, 2005 earthquake. Earlier, in 2014 and 2015, two citizens of PoK — Rehmatullah Khan and Ghulam Nabi — had approached the court seeking restoration and reopening of temples and gurdwaras. Appreciating the efforts of Save Sharda Committee, the Chief Justice urged its office-bearers not to restrict themselves to the restoration of the Hindu temples but also focus on protection of holy places and symbols of other religions as well.

Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-supreme-court-in-pok-intervenes-to-save-sharda-temple-2579826

 
 
 

Heading to environmental destruction

Sohail Azmie


In my recent trip of Neelum Valley, I was saddened by the rapid pollution of the beautiful Neelum River, which now has become a sewage and domestic waste receiver for the people dwelling on its banks. The colour of the river’s water has changed from blue to grey due to an uncontrolled sewage wastes being thrown into it. The tourists and locals did not even spare the majestic Barkati Lake situated at 12,130 feet above sea level at Ratti Galli, Dawarian. Plenty of plastic bags, used plates and loads of trash was littered around the lake giving it a look one is familiar with the notion of ‘footprint of Pakistani people’. If one comes down to Muzaffarabad, an environment caring person would get a heart attack at the remorseless acts of people who have turned the Neelum and Jehlum rivers as ‘dynamic dustbins’. This does not end here. All along our rivers, wastes and pollutants, both domestic and industrial, are thrown ending up into the Arabian Sea. Pakistan has progressively lost nearly 25 million of agricultural land due to soil erosion – the contributors being salinity and waterlogging. According to Food & Agricultural Organization of United Nations report ‘Global Forest Resources Assessment 2015’, forest cover in Pakistan, which is 1.9 % of land (with an additional 2 % ‘other wooded land’), is extremely low as opposed to a required area of 20-30% of total land. Pakistan’s forest depleted from 1990-2015 at an annual rate of 2.1 %, i.e., in 1990 Pakistan had a forest extent of 2.527 million hectare, whereas it reduced to 1.472 million hectare by 2015(One hectare is equal to 0.01 square kilometre). This simply means that forest area in Pakistan disappeared at a staggering 43,000 hectares/year, within 1990-2015, and no one seemed to have done anything about it. Regeneration of forests and replantation initiatives have been ineffective, piecemeal and disjointed due to abysmal focus by the Government. Only in the mangroves, Pakistan was able to replant mangroves over an area of 95,000 hectares in 2015. Mr. Park argues that, “these are alarming rates considering the low level of forest coverage in the country together with high ecological value of forests in maintaining the life support system.”

Since no serious attempt has been made to preserve the forests or replant trees, therefore, in near future the rising demand of timber (which is about 5.0 million cubic meters per year now) will not let the Government pragmatically plan for recovery of lost forests. Sharp imbalance between demand and supply of timber and need for more agricultural land logically implies rate of forest depletion will enhance thus bringing climatic changes and extinction of many species of birds and animals. International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN), an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources, has declared 33 mammals (endemic to Pakistan) as ‘critically endangered’ on IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This is one consequence of decreasing forests and increasing pollution. There are 2 species of fish and 22 various types of marine animals, which are at serious risk of being extinct in Pakistan’s rivers and seas. Cumulatively impact of the disappearance of these species will critically disturb the ecosystem subsequently resulting into an environment very unfriendly for human existence.
Kemari Jetty presents our society, which perhaps does not need an elaboration for what it’s (the society’s) defining markers may be – illiterate, unaware and indifferent. A society that is unable to gauge what is best for it and what could be harmful would always wrestle hard to survive. Millions of cubic meters of untreated water is dumped daily into the Arabian Sea from Karachi. We think we are too poor to afford plants to treat water before it goes into the river or sea; some may say we have problems far greater than the pollution and climate change. These arguments, at the end of the day, would become highly indigestible regrets when we would be struggling for food and water. Imagine a scenario – though it might not happen in our lifetime – that our seas become so polluted to keep any fish alive, the subsoil water is dried up and the rain patterns are altered to become harmful instead of being useful for humans – what shape and form the survival might take, it is difficult to tell. The description of Kemari Jetty, which actually compelled me to write this piece, does not present a simple dirt, but a deep rooted trouble the bottom-line of which is: rampant corruption, illiteracy and poverty. In an environment of poor transparency there is hardly any planning that could help avoid deforestation, effective environment conservation and poverty alleviation. When the timber mafia is permitted to cut down trees at will; when the land-grabbers are allowed to clear the trees off mountains and build housing societies; when the industrialists pay bribes to get away from the requirement to treat the waste; when the municipal administration fails to provide basic facilities to its people to avoid spread of pollution and trash – then a malnourished, illiterate and a homeless garbage thrower on the shores of Arabian Sea would care nothing of the environment and the consequences of his action as he only fights to live another day. State and society have a greater responsibility to be proactive and own the cost of acts of the garbage thrower– which, in our case, unfortunately considerably suffers from lack of vision and action. Individually, people who care about the environment and the future of our children have a ‘moral’ obligation to spread the message the places like Kemari Jetty, which is: we have set course for environment destruction, we need to act now, lest it becomes irretrievable!
The question is what we can do now? First and foremost of all, what I call the ‘Individual Social Responsibility’ or the ISR, with that each one of us has a duty to create awareness among our family members, friends and colleagues. ISR may not be a documented social covenant but a binding on everyone to become part of a collective good. Teaching our children about the consequences and dangers of pollution must be our first task and that we could show it by example. On weekly basis we can take our kids to the neighbourhood for picking up trash and disposing it off at the designated places or dustbins. Those living in Karachi can visit the seaside and let the children contribute in environment conservation by cleaning waste or clearing pollutants, which are found near shores. Students from environmental studies departments of various universities can be engaged by KPT for initiatives like ‘Healthy Seas’, ‘Clean Shores’ or ‘Saving Oceans’ etc., especially focusing on Karachi Harbour. Corporate world is supposed to give back to the society in the name of ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ or the CSR; private companies can make a huge difference through CSR. Major industries located in Karachi, especially the chemical processing companies, have significantly contributed towards devastation of Karachi’s marine environment and now they must act to, at least, stop the trend, if not reversed. Pakistan Navy has been actively contributing towards environmental protection, however, it alone cannot negotiate with the hilarious task of getting rid of the pollution that has spread wide and far in Karachi Harbour. A joint PN-KPT-PMSA ‘Marine Environment Protection’ initiative needs to be launched on emergency basis, which may be led by one of the stakeholders. The initiative can propose measures and procedures for reducing pollution; ways and means to treat the sewage water being dumped into our seas from Karachi city and penalties for people using the seas, benefiting from its riches but caring less for its sustenance. If it is not done now, then we may not have the future worth spending on the seashores of Karachi.


Source:  http://nation.com.pk/06-Nov-2017/heading-to-environmental-destruction-i

In search of CKNP sustainability

Munir Ahmed
Several million dollars were spent by the Social, Environment and Economic Development (SEED) project under the framework of the Pakistan-Italy Debt Swap Agreement (PIDSA) in five years to establish the Central Karakorum National Park (CKNP). The CKNP was conceived in 1993 but it was on the back burner until SEED was launched in 2009 and concluded two year back with the establishment of CKNP directorate with the Gilgit-Baltistan government.
It is quite ironic that the authorities are unable to sustainably continue the development and management of the CKNP despite having all the comprehensive management plans done by the Italian and Pakistani experts jointly. The main issue is the lack of financial resources and political will besides the lack of the expertise required to manage the world’s one of the largest high altitude National Park.
The CKNP is blessed with the world’s largest mountain glacial systems; with Siachen (75 km), Baltoro (57 km) and Hispar-Biafo (122 km) glaciers originating within its boundaries. Administratively, it is situated in the Skardu and Gilgit districts of the Gilgit and Baltistan Region of Pakistan. The park has another significance; the 72,500 square kilometre national park is on the border with China, Afghanistan, and India, and represents one section of the of Hindu Kush-Karakorum-Himalaya mountain range. The area is part of the ‘transitional zone’ between the arid Central Asia and the semi-humid subtropics of the northern South Asia.
The park is a biodiversity hotspot and a home to a rich array of fauna and flora owing to varied micro-climates, and ecological conditions, and is a source of water and other ecosystem services of ecological, aesthetic, and socioeconomic significance, not only for those living within the area, but also for people living beyond. The area is host to most of the endemic floral species found in Pakistan and a refuge for many threatened species such as snow leopards, Markhors, Marco Polo sheep, musk deer, Himalayan lynx, blue sheep, brown bears, Indian wolves and Himalayan ibex.

The park is a biodiversity hotspot and a home to a rich array of fauna and flora owing to varied micro-climates and ecological conditions

The largest protected area of Pakistan, covering over 10,557.73 square kilometres in the Central Karakorum mountain range, while the world’s second highest peak K2 is also the part of the park besides hundreds of trekking lanes. The enormous potential of sustainable tourism remains unrealised and untapped.
Despite all the clarity in order to facilitate the maintenance of the Central Karakorum National Park ecological integrity while, at the same time, providing sustainable management opportunities for local communities and visitors, the implementation mechanisms are suffering from negligence and lack of adequate management.
Today, the CKNP is facing enormous conservation and sustainable development challenge that are both global and local in nature. Especially global climate change and the consequent impacts on the glacier dominated mountain ecosystem. Human activities such as livestock rearing and deforestation threaten the survival of many mountain species especially in the Hopar, Hispar, and Shimshal Valleys.


The park’s remoteness and unique terrain conditions with vastly varying physical, biological and societal systems pose special management challenges. Inadequate policies and strategies; weak institutional, administrative, planning, and management capacities; inadequate data and information management; and poverty present enormous challenges to CKNP’s conservation and sustainable development. Strategic intervention combining both modern conservation paradigm and traditional knowledge can guide sustainable development. Genetic resources offer opportunities for livelihoods but only if used wisely. Tourism can benefit people and environment if sufficient revenue is retained locally.
Sustainable development of the national park has been the major challenge since the declaration of the central Karakorum region as a national park in 1993. Several activities aimed at conserving the environment, preserving the cultural heritage and promoting rural development are being carried out by several government and nongovernment actors. However, the effectiveness of these interventions yielded less than desired due to a lack of coordination and the capacity of the local human resource along with the absence of an integrated management plan. What is the hitch now when the SEED project has delivered a comprehensive management strategy coupled with the vigorous Action Plan?
The GB and federal governments need to think about the fate of the local communities and the people downstream whose life and livelihood is attached with the adequate management of the CKNP — the hub of nature and natural resource that could easily be termed as the backbone of the country’s economy through tourism and ecosystem services.
How long we shall be ignorant towards the national and natural treasures that we are blessed with? We need to come out of the slumber in order to promote sustainable development and management of the CKNP. Only better coordination of the on-going efforts and initiatives, and little more financial inputs would help to harness the economic miracles through integrated development.
We need to learn that how to stand on our own feet and continue with development initiatives once the donor completes the project and pull out its engagement. For sure, the donors could not be funding all our rides all the life. The same is the case with the CKNP. Let’s make it sustainable hub of mountaineering, ecotourism and trekking paradise for all the economic benefits without jeopardising the nature and natural resources.
The writer is an Islamabad-based policy advocacy, strategic communication and outreach expert. He can be reached at devcom.pakistan@gmail.com. He tweets @EmmayeSyed

Source:https://dailytimes.com.pk/139705/search-cknp-sustainability/

Kashmir’s Impending Environmental Doom, Too Little Too Late

Sheikh Qayoom
Kashmir's fish are dying because of eutrophication (excess of nutrients leading to oxygen depletion), turtle doves have almost stopped visiting paddy fields to pick grain and, alarmingly, lesser numbers of migratory birds have so far come to the Valley this year.
If these are not enough indicators of an environmental doomsday, then read on.
People living on the banks of the Jhelum river in Srinagar city pounced to pick fish desperately floating on the river a few days back.
"The fish were gasping for oxygen because the river has become saturated with nutrients due to the dumping of the city's refuse into it.”

The enrichment of the water body with nutrients causes structural changes in the fragile ecosystem leading to depletion of oxygen and increase in levels of nitrogen. The fish that were seen floating helplessly on the surface of the river were actually battling for a breath of oxygen.

Local environmental scientist, tells IANS

"Turtle doves used to come in their hundreds every year to pick the fallen grain left behind after harvesting in our paddy fields.
"Armies of these beautiful birds would descend on our paddy fields to feed till just a few years.
"This year there were hardly any turtle doves seen in our area. We had a good harvest, but the fact is that the area under paddy cultivation has shrunk alarmingly," said Haji Sidiq, who lives in Chanduna village of north Kashmir's Ganderbal district.

Sidiq's observation is backed by Manzoor Ahmad, 60, who lives in Koil village of south Kashmir's Pulwama district.

Alarmingly lesser number of turtle doves came to feed in our village this year. Agricultural lands have been shrinking because of their conversion for commercial and other purposes. I also believe the turtle doves have little left to feed on.

Manzoor Ahmad, 60, resident of the Koil village of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

People living around Shallabugh Bird Reserve, the largest such for migratory birds in the Valley, have another frightening story to tell.
"Very few migratory birds have arrived in the reserve this year. There is hardly any water left in the reserve for the migratory birds to swim and wade," said Gaffar Lone, 80, who compared his memories of seeing hundreds of migratory birds in the reserve around this time of the year with what he hardly sees nowadays.

Officials of the wildlife department say temporary embankments are being raised to ensure that various migratory bird reserves like Shallabugh, Hokarsar, Mirgund and Hygam have sufficient water levels to support the avian visitors.
Migratory birds come to the Valley each year to spend nearly six months to ward off the extreme cold in their summer homes of Russian Siberia, Eastern Europe and China.

There has hardly been any rain in the Valley during the last three months. This has left its rivers, lakes, mountain streams and springs shrunken to the bottom.Most rural water supply schemes are now regulating the flow of water for domestic use.“This is something unheard of in the countryside. Water has always been the richest gift of God to Kashmir and today even this is to be rationed,” lamented Zahoor Ahmad, 52, who lives in Haripora village of Ganderbal district. 

The state's weatherman, Sonam Lotus, said showers are likely in the plains of the Valley between 14 November and 15.
"This could break the long dry spell that the Valley has been undergoing for the last over three months," Lotus said.

Kashmir’s iconic Dal Lake in the summer capital Srinagar depicts a sad story of human callousness provoking Mother Nature to destroy us.“The lake literally smells. The discharge of waste by everybody living in and around the lake has brought it to the brink of extinction.

"Official efforts to save the Dal Lake will mean nothing unless the people take up the challenge to save this icon for posterity," said Bashir Ahmad, who lives in the city's Buchwara area.
Dying fish, vanishing countryside, smelly lakes and shrinking glaciers -- Kashmir's story during the last two decades has not just been all about violence and blood.
Is the environmental disaster going to be irreversible? Only Kashmiris can tell.

https://www.thequint.com/news/environment/environmental-doomsday-soon-for-kashmir