{ "p702401": { "id": "702401", "title": "Education for girls", "shortDescription": "", "description": "
The question of access to education for girls remains one which is a challenge for the world with significant gaps still remaining between the educational attainment of boys and girls in the developing world. Most experts feel that the best way to bring girls into schools is to lower the costs of education and provide them better access to it.
We have seen over and over again in Pakistan that when girls from less privileged backgrounds are given aid to enter private schools of higher standing many choose to do so given the gains in both the costs of learning and in the quality of education. The issue of access also remains one which exists across the developing world. South Asia is among these regions even though it has taken big steps forward in ensuring education for girls. However, a significant gap remains and it will take time to bridge this. Strategies need to be developed to determine how this can most effectively be achieved. In the first case schools, notably those at the secondary level, must be within the reach of girls -- particularly those who live in rural or less developed areas with no means of transportation to school. It is also true that families consider spending money on the education of a girl a waste of resources given the constraints they face.
This needs to be amended by finding ways to offer girls and all children education that has meaning for them at costs that are manageable. We have in our country seen the shift from the public sector to private schools as the quality of public sector education declines; as a result, there is an added burden on families. Ideally, we should be rebuilding public-sector education. However, this is likely to be a long and difficult task given the decline we have seen. In this situation the mechanisms need to be developed to offer girls education at costs which are manageable for their families. This education should also be geared towards building their future and helping them meet the needs they will encounter in their lives. An entire plan would need to be evolved but given the findings in many countries of how much benefit educated women can bring families it is worth working towards this goal so that our needs can be met and that in the future the gender gap that currently exists in education can be closed.
", "image": "http://www.thenews.com.pk/assets/uploads/updates/2020-08-19/l_", "postedOn": "2 weeks ago", "postTime": 1597798800, "reportBy": "Pa", "categoryName": "Editorial", "videoURL": null, "archivedVideos": [], "relatedStories": [] }, "p701531": { "id": "701531", "title": "Lurking dangers", "shortDescription": "", "description": "Scientists have reiterated that climate change could emerge as a driver of infectious diseases such as smallpox, malaria, dengue and zika virus as a result of global warming. Growing carbon emissions could lead to at least 30 percent of the northern hemisphere’s permafrost melting by century’s end, releasing billions of tonnes of carbon which will further poison the atmosphere; this can also release viruses or bacteria that have remained dormant for years.
Reducing emissions from land is essential to averting more environmental damage. What is grown on land and in what way is crucial to whether it curbs or contributes to climate change. Forests, plants and soil store one-third of all man-made emissions. This could increase. On the other side, intensive exploitation of land resources produces high amounts of greenhouse gas as well as consuming 70 percent of the world’s freshwater supply. With the global population set to hit 10 billion in the middle of this century, the issue of land management by governments, industry and farmers will be crucial to combatting or worsening climate change. We have essentially failed to respect nature sufficiently. As a result, we have mutated viruses, large-scale climate change, the depletion of water resources and issues such as disappearance of permafrost.
Human civilisation has left its footprints literally on every corner of the Earth. We already know the ocean floor is largely covered by plastics and the remains of human consumption can be found even amongst the highest peaks on Earth. There is no way of saying if this destruction can ever be repaired or the planet we call our home effectively cleaned up. It is essential wider awareness of the need to do so begin to be disseminated and ecosystems restored so life on Earth can continue. The question we need to answer over the coming years is if our science and learning can enable us to tackle these problems which present a massive threat to humans no matter where they live.
", "image": "http://www.thenews.com.pk/assets/uploads/updates/2020-08-17/l_", "postedOn": "2 weeks ago", "postTime": 1597626000, "reportBy": null, "categoryName": "Editorial", "videoURL": null, "archivedVideos": [], "relatedStories": [] }, "p701239": { "id": "701239", "title": "Electrified economy", "shortDescription": "", "description": "In an address to the nation to coincide with August 14, Prime Minister Imran Khan has provided some good news. He has said a new accord has been worked out with IPPs, and that in the near future the country would be producing a far greater volume of electricity, benefiting both its economy and eventually other consumers. The lack of power and the failure to build an efficient supply of the vital commodity has been a factor holding back development in Pakistan at least since the late 1980s -- with the issue exacerbating over the past few years, leading to an almost crippling situation overall. PM Imran also said that the GDP is growing, tax collection improving, the construction sector bringing in new investment, and exports rising.
This is highly encouraging for Pakistan. The power problem in particular is one that badly needs to be solved. Industrialists and owners of smaller workshops have reported massive losses simply because of the frequent power cuts they encounter. If just this issue could be resolved through a new deal with the IPPs, which Imran has said had been under negotiations for some time, it will bring huge benefits. As far as other economic parameters go, analysts and experts have pointed out that while into the 1980s Pakistan was keeping relative parity with India in terms of GDP growth and annual income per household, and was well ahead of Bangladesh, this situation changed with the turn of the millennium. Since the year 2000, India’s growth has made its economy far larger and far stronger than Pakistan, putting it at least 10 times ahead of its neighbor despite housing a considerably larger population. Even Bangladesh has moved ahead of Pakistan in terms of exports after lagging well behind it when it came into being in 1971 -- and today countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam are exporting more goods than Pakistan.
In the region it is China that has become the economic giant despite gaining its independence at around the same time as the Subcontinent and after a long civil war. But there should be no reason why Pakistan cannot improve its economic deficit and pull itself up to join other countries in the immediate neighbourhood. Economists speaking on the issue describe Imran Khan’s vision as somewhat too optimistic. Of course, we hope that he is correct in his view that Pakistan today stands on the verge of a major turnaround. This will benefit each and every citizen in the country. To achieve this, we need to study why it is today lagging so far behind not only in terms of economic figures but also social development indicators. Part of the answer lies in what we prioritise when we think about investing our country's resources. A large hint lies in health and education. For now, we can only hope Prime Minister Imran Khan’s assessment is accurate and that within the next few years Pakistan will prove it has the potential to better itself economically, offer power supply which is regular and sustainable and make other improvements which can benefit its citizens.
", "image": "http://www.thenews.com.pk/assets/uploads/updates/2020-08-16/l_", "postedOn": "2 weeks ago", "postTime": 1597539600, "reportBy": null, "categoryName": "Editorial", "videoURL": null, "archivedVideos": [], "relatedStories": [] }, "p701240": { "id": "701240", "title": "Transport for Peshawar", "shortDescription": "", "description": "After a long delay, the BRT project for Peshawar is finally up and running. Members of the public rode on the shining new buses along its 27-km route on Independence Day, and of course will be hoping this project will solve the major transport issues Peshawar faces. The Metro system in Lahore and Rawalpindi have both been welcomed by the millions of people who have used them since they were set up. The BRT has been constructed at a cost of about Rs67 billion. This is far higher than the sum of around Rs40 billion originally put forward for the project, when then KP chief minister Pervez Khattak announced in October 2017 that the BRT would be ready in six months. This did not happen and never seemed feasible in any case. Even now it is being pointed out that all the 30 stations along the BRT corridor are not complete and that shopping plazas being constructed alongside the track have also yet to be brought into operation and fully built. The same applies to the bicycle track which is designed to run along the BRT track.
But despite these problems, Peshawar now has a major mass transit system. There have been reports of irregularities in construction which initially led to an investigation being opened up by the FIA but later stopped on judicial orders. The BRT is the only mega scheme on the PTI manifesto and it is therefore important to the party and to the people of Peshawar. The question now is how effective it will be in offering the transport the city needs. Experts have pointed out several design flaws, some of which did not allow buses to cross each other along some portions of the track. There is also concern that with cars also running along the same route, congestion will increase on important thoroughfares such as University Road which forms a central part of Peshawar layout.
The extent of these problems will need to be seen over the coming months as the BRT goes into full operation. The buses brought in from China are currently the pride of the people of Peshawar fitted with Wi-Fi and also fully air-conditioned. A subsidy is likely to be required to ensure that the fares, which range from Rs10 to Rs 50 depending on distance, can be maintained. In the past, the PTI leadership had criticized the Metro system built by the PML-N regime in major cities, terming them a waste of money. That all seems to be a matter of the past now, with both the government and its supporters beaming in pride over the BRT (regardless of any controversy over design and cost). A beaming Prime Minister Imran Khan rode one of the buses as the BRT was inaugurated on August 14. We hope it can improve life for commuters in Peshawar rather than adding to their problems in any way.
", "image": "http://www.thenews.com.pk/assets/uploads/updates/2020-08-16/l_", "postedOn": "2 weeks ago", "postTime": 1597539600, "reportBy": null, "categoryName": "Editorial", "videoURL": null, "archivedVideos": [], "relatedStories": [] }, "p692080": { "id": "692080", "title": "Bridging the divide", "shortDescription": "", "description": "A quiet diplomacy carried out outside public view appears to have worked, with Sheikh Hasina Wajid of Bangladesh on Wednesday accepting a call from Prime Minister Imran Khan. This is the first contact between the two nations, ties between which have been strained, notably over Bangladesh’s decision to set up courts to look into war crimes committed in 1971. PM Imran Khan said that while the past between the two nations was a bitter one, it is time now to look to the future and build a better partnership. He also hoped of reviving Saarc as an effective platform and using it to build peace in the region.
These are positive developments. They also come at a time when India has faced some criticism from many of its neighbours including not only Pakistan but also Bangladesh, Nepal and even Bhutan at the way it behaves in the region. During their talks PM Imran invited PM Sheikh Hasina to Pakistan, and spoke about the Kashmir issue, something that has not gone down well in India. In addition to this he expressed grief over the toll of death taken in Bangladesh by floods and the coronavirus pandemic. Recently Pakistan has entered into an agreement to buy stocks of the important anti-Covid-19 drug Remdesivir. Bangladesh which is manufacturing the drug has in fact already supplied around 40 vials to a wealthy businessman in June this year who needed it urgently to treat himself and his family. The gesture was widely appreciated in medical circles.
We should remember that, despite the bitterness of the 1970-71 war, Pakistan and Bangladesh have a long history which is made up of a united culture and mutual influence. We often forget that the man known as Pakistan’s first pop star, Alamgir, was Bengali in origin and later also travelled to Bangladesh. The same is true of many others who have shone on cinema screens and on TV in the territory that is now Pakistan. Many who belong to an older generation in Bangladesh still remember them with considerable fondness. It is then important to build bridges which can circumvent the gap that exists and bring the two nations closer together. We have a lot to learn from each other. Bangladesh’s excellent record in social welfare and microcredit has become a role model for the world. Pakistan too can offer a great deal to that country.
It is also essential that we learn from history and remember that mistakes made in the past should not be repeated. This alone can bring us enormous benefits for the future. Imran Khan and Sheikh Hasina have done well to open up the doors for dialogue and discussions. We hope that this road will be followed in the years ahead – and especially at a time when tension in the region is high, and countries need to combine forces to ward off oppression and make sure they can help each other stave off any threat or any danger. Dhaka and Islamabad would do well to move towards this, encourage exchanges between people, promote cultural, social, medical and educational visits and help rebuild the unity that we lost so unfortunately nearly five decades ago.
", "image": "http://www.thenews.com.pk/assets/uploads/updates/2020-07-26/l_", "postedOn": "1 month ago", "postTime": 1595725200, "reportBy": null, "categoryName": "Editorial", "videoURL": null, "archivedVideos": [], "relatedStories": [] }, "p689180": { "id": "689180", "title": "The horror within", "shortDescription": "", "description": "In a country where morality seems to rule every single second of every single person’s life, the rate of child sexual abuse seems blindingly high. Unfortunately, due to the usual lack of reporting and lack of access to reporting we really can’t be sure where exactly we stand. What we do know is that the past few years have seen some of the most horrific cases come to light – from Kasur to individual cases. And now we have an alleged paedophile in Khairpur raping children. As per reports, the man – a retired schoolteacher – was allegedly raping minor students whom he tutored privately; reportedly, he was also filming his assaults. He has been arrested after photographs of him sodomising a young boy went viral on social media.
As per NGOs estimations, a total of 2,846 child abuse cases were reported from across the country in 2019, with data showing that more than eight children suffered some form of abuse every day in Pakistan last year. The true number must be a magnitude higher since most cases of child harassment, molestation and rape go unreported. We only hear of a fraction of these cases, but we need to wake up to the fact that child abuse is a daily occurrence and that it often leads to murder. The fact also is that those who are economically vulnerable do not have the option to always be around for their children, no matter how much they might want to, because they are struggling to make a living and feed their families. And this is why those who are economically insecure make for the easiest targets because of their circumstances, something all predators know.
Unfortunately, Pakistan maintains no registry of child sex offenders. There is also no exchange of data between police, the FIA and other security bodies. Given that the rate of sexual abuse continues to increase, concrete measures are required to address such loopholes and also initiate a system under which sex offenders can be identified and their movement monitored. In other countries for example serial offenders guilty of molesting children, must report in regularly to police, even after completing any prison sentence, and are not permitted to work in any environment where they have easy access to children, such as schools or orphanages. We also desperately need a society that is open to an honest conversation around sexual abuse. That can only happen when we stop brushing everything under the carpet in the name of propriety and ‘decency’.
", "image": "http://www.thenews.com.pk/assets/uploads/updates/2020-07-20/l_", "postedOn": "1 month ago", "postTime": 1595206800, "reportBy": null, "categoryName": "Editorial", "videoURL": null, "archivedVideos": [], "relatedStories": [] }, "p677282": { "id": "677282", "title": "Fading optimism", "shortDescription": "", "description": "The early belief that South Asia may escape the worst ravages of Covid-19 as inflicted on Europe and the US has long disappeared. In fact experts warn that South Asia, from Kabul to Dhaka, is turning into a hotspot for the virus with the congested conditions in which people live, the lack of healthcare facilities, high levels of illiteracy and confusion over whether official figures are accurate adding to the problem. Certainly, the predictions that the BCG injection almost all South Asians receive soon after birth or the anti-malarial drugs they swallow would save them along with the hot weather have proved completely inaccurate. As temperatures soar, so do the number of cases. Pakistan now has more than 190,000 cases and over 3500 deaths. In India, there have been over 14,000 deaths, while the number of cases continues to rise rapidly and in Dhaka, doctors complain of packed hospitals and graveyards which have no space to accommodate more bodies.
The WHO recommendation of a lockdown in Pakistan came earlier this month. Doctors suggest it should have been imposed earlier, and this may have saved us from the newest spike in cases, the deaths which come with it, the hoarding of medicines and overcrowded, overwhelmed hospitals. India had imposed one of the toughest lockdowns in the world, but was partly defeated in this effort to ensure social distancing by the millions of people left homeless and jobless with no choice but to try and walk back to their native villages, in some cases located hundreds of kilometres away. The movement of people seen in that country is estimated to have been the largest since Partition in 1947. Experts agree that in conditions such as those that prevail in South Asia, lockdowns are not easy to maintain for prolonged periods and exponential growths are equally difficult to deal with. Bangladesh did attempt a lockdown, beginning on March 26 and continuing through the end of May, and attempted to take other measures such by evacuating all its citizens from China and then reintegrating them after quarantine, but these steps were not entirely successful. Some reasons are the sheer poverty which forced people to leave their homes and the holding of Eid gatherings by some popular clerics which contributed to the spread of Covid-19. Global health experts also say the recovery rate in Bangladesh has been slow. The reasons would need further scientific study.
South Asia is now caught up in the midst of a crisis. It is a unique crisis and perhaps the worst the region has ever seen. There is no immediate solution. In some cases, the opportunities for containment have been lost, and now families must watch loved ones suffer and die as the pandemic continues to take its toll and cripple economies that already are at the brink of disaster, with more than 30 percent of people living below the poverty line.
", "image": "http://www.thenews.com.pk/assets/uploads/updates/2020-06-25/l_", "postedOn": "2 months ago", "postTime": 1593046800, "reportBy": null, "categoryName": "Editorial", "videoURL": null, "archivedVideos": [], "relatedStories": [] }, "p653688": { "id": "653688", "title": "Worsening rights", "shortDescription": "", "description": "The annual report for the year 2019 by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) should serve as an eye-opener to those who fail to see the worsening situation of human rights in Pakistan. An important message from this report is that the most vulnerable segments of society are being neglected and their voices are not heard. This has made their presence invisible, though they are the ones who bear the brunt of most injustices in society. Released on April 30, the HRCP report highlights that the weakest segments of society have become victims of widespread economic marginalization. This is in addition to the social exploitation they face across the country. The report has also pointed out that the human rights record in Pakistan continued its downward slide in 2019 and the situation has become ‘worrisome’, especially in the face of the ongoing pandemic of Covid-19. The report warns us that the prospects for human rights in the country were already bleak when the current pandemic cast its shadow. It is definitely a cause of concern that HRCP has noticed ‘systematic curbs’ on political dissent. These curbs are imposed by a continued chokehold on press freedom. Apart from the curbs on media, there is also a persistent neglect of economic and social rights in the country.
This year, the HRCP report is more detailed and focused as it offers separate chapters on each province and other federating units that compose Pakistan. Among the issues highlighted by the report, child abuse and forced labour by underage youth figure prominently. There have been reports of child labourers being assaulted, raped, murdered, and dumped, without such incidents getting much attention in the mainstream media. Violence against women is another frighteningly common occurrence across the country. They become targets in the name of honour as Pakistani society becomes more and more fixated with the concept of damaged or lost honours of male relatives. Punjab has the disgraceful distinction of being at the top with the highest proportion of ‘honour’ crimes. The HRCP report has also underscored the miserable conditions of prisoners in overpopulated jails. As many journalists have reported, they find it difficult to criticize state policy, as the space for free expression on electronic, print, and social media has been eroded in an organized manner. This is also linked with a deliberate financial squeeze on the media which is being targeted and victimized in a selective manner. Another cause of continued concern is the case of persons reported to be ‘missing’.
The HRCP has rightly recommended that the government must legislate to criminalize enforced disappearances. Religious minorities have also seen freedom of religion being eroded by both non-state and state measures. There have been reports of desecration of worship places, forced conversions of young women, and a perpetual discrimination in access to employment. The report also calls for holding of local bodies elections in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Punjab; Sindh being the only province where local governments are functioning. The report’s suggestion for the restoration of student and trade unions is also noteworthy. The government must take these findings and recommendations seriously. The government must form a high-level parliamentary committee with representation from all major parties to look into the violations of human rights in the country. The federal ministry of human rights must play a proactive role in this matter and take on board the opposition members to explore and implement HRCP’s recommendations and draft the required legislation.
", "image": "http://www.thenews.com.pk/assets/uploads/updates/2020-05-04/l_", "postedOn": "4 months ago", "postTime": 1588554000, "reportBy": null, "categoryName": "Editorial", "videoURL": null, "archivedVideos": [], "relatedStories": [] }, "p653689": { "id": "653689", "title": "Super tax", "shortDescription": "", "description": "According to some reports, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is considering a super-corona tax for the rich in the country. The government may include this proposal – though it is in early stages at the moment – in the budget recommendations for the next fiscal year starting in July 2020. Apparently the government will impose this tax to generate extra money for providing financial relief to the needy. The details of this proposal are still under consideration and may take a couple of months to finalize. The next two months will be crucial for at least two reasons. One, the trajectory that Covid-19 takes in the country will determine the magnitude of efforts further required to stem the disease; and two, the allocation of resources for the next budget will need a fundamental change in the way we have been collecting revenues and disbursing funds under various heads. In terms of revenue collection, the FBR will be striving to achieve the desired tax collection target of Rs5.1 trillion in the next budget, which may or may not be possible without additional measures. If we are able to restore full economic activities by the end of this fiscal year, the start of the next will be much easier.
But if the crisis takes a protracted path, which seems to be likely at the moment, a proposal like a new corona tax on the rich and wealthy will become inevitable. In that case, the government needs to define the features of the rich and wealthy carefully, without putting extra pressure on those who are already under the strain of an imminent financial crunch. Suggestions such as anyone who owns an above 1000cc car should be paying a super tax is preposterous. Simply imposing this tax on anyone without considering their present level of income is also likely to cause further hardships on people who currently do not fall in a high-income category. The FBR must be diligent in developing its proposals, keeping in mind the current level of income of those who own a car or a house. A largely untaxed segment of the privileged are land-owners across the country.
In addition, the government has not yet apprehended those who have made billions in sugar and wheat scams. Then there are questions about transparency in getting foreign loans and their use. Ever since this government came to power in 2018, it has been on a relentless spree of begging and borrowing; and the Covid-19 crisis is a useful excuse to keep doing the same. Be it with the ADB, the IMF, the World Bank, and some friendly countries showing their usual largesse, the practice must be above board. That means all loans and taxes collected in the name of the coronavirus must be utilized for the relief of the people in a transparent manner. Lastly, we must stress once again that our resource allocation in the next budget must make the development and welfare of people a primary concern of the state. We must make it a welfare state rather than a security state. Our negligence in providing health, education, potable water, sanitation, power and infrastructure must become our priority in the wake of this corona crisis. More than a super-corona tax, we need a post-corona policy which must reflect our changed priorities in budget-making.
", "image": "http://www.thenews.com.pk/assets/uploads/updates/2020-05-04/l_", "postedOn": "4 months ago", "postTime": 1588554000, "reportBy": null, "categoryName": "Editorial", "videoURL": null, "archivedVideos": [], "relatedStories": [] }, "p651194": { "id": "651194", "title": "Israeli strikes", "shortDescription": "", "description": "As the Covid-19 pandemic is raging across the world, there is a need for the world to unite and save humanity from this scourge. But sadly still there are countries such as Israel which keep indulging in a useless warfare across their borders and never hesitate to kill. The recent Israeli strikes that killed nine people in Syria are a stark reminder to the world that Israel is never short of excuses to hit and eliminate whoever it thinks is not on its side, be it Iranians, Palestinians, or Syrians. According to reports, this time around the excuse was that the victims were pro-Iranian militiamen. The reports have not confirmed the identities of all the victims and have just mentioned that the slain militiamen included three Syrian nationals and six foreigners of unknown nationalities.
Since Israel has one of the most advanced missile systems in the world, it is increasingly using its aerial prowess to pinpoint targets far away in other countries if it means some military dividends in the shape of killed enemy militiamen or soldiers. Normally Israel keeps an eye on Hezbollah or Palestinian fighters and strikes whenever and wherever it deems appropriate. In the past few years, Israel has carried out hundreds -- if not thousands -- of strikes in Syria especially targeting Syrian forces that it alleges are supported by the Lebanese Hezbollah and Iranian allied militias.
The recent strike was significant in that the same day Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif was having a meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. As the war in Syria has been going on for nearly a decade now, there is a need for the world community to restrain foreign countries, including Israel, so that the fate of the Syrian people can be decided by the Syrians alone. Bashar al-Assad would also do better by resorting to some peaceful means of negotiations to share power with the opposition. Some estimates put the number of people killed since 2010 at nearly half a million with several million more displaced. This is a staggering number by all counts and the war there must see an end now.
", "image": "http://www.thenews.com.pk/assets/uploads/updates/2020-04-29/l_", "postedOn": "4 months ago", "postTime": 1588122000, "reportBy": null, "categoryName": "Editorial", "videoURL": null, "archivedVideos": [], "relatedStories": [] } }