Efforts to reduce gender gap in Pakistan
Khalid Khokhar

ONE of the challenging task before the democratically-elected Government is to build an effective partnership initiative between civil society, local authorities, NGOs, parliamentarians, academia and the private sector towards achieving Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in the country. Gender equality means promoting equal opportunities for women and men in decision-making, supporting women so that they can enjoy their rights and reducing the gap between women and men’s access to resources and benefit from socio-economic development. Despite some successes, progress towards the goal of gender equality and women’s empowerment still trails conspicuously behind. Gender equalities are still out of reach for most women throughout the world. The sad truth remains that seventy per cent of the 130 million children who are out of school are girls. Out of world’s one billion poorest people, three-fifths are women and girls. Women account for two-thirds of the 960 million adults in the world who cannot read, which greatly impedes their ability to participate in the nation building process. It has been observed that the number of cases of violence against women is increasing with each passing day. In some countries legal disparities are blatant, in others they are much more subtle. What is clear is that many states are failing to live up to their promises to review their laws and root out institutional discrimination, and millions of women continue to suffer grave injustices.
The Gender equality in Pakistan suffered a severe blow when religious extremists razed more than 100 Government Girls schools in FATA during the past three years, leaving more than 3,000 girls between with no access to education. “Banning girls’ education by orthodox militants has taken us 100 years back”, said Fazli Manan, who heads the education department in the tribal areas. Another tragic incident causing a set back to the Women Rights movement occurred when cabinet minister Zilla Huma was killed while addressing a public gathering without “hijab” in Gujranwala – she drew the ire of radicals when she helped organize a mixed-gender marathon. The human rights report documents hundreds of domestic abuse cases, including acid attacks, brutal mutilations, and “stove burnings” cases. According to a report compiled by the Ministry of Women Development, the health status of women in Pakistan “is poor as compared with other countries in Asia. Some 30,000 women die each year due to complications of pregnancy. Many girls die prematurely because of common infections and malnutrition, which could have been easily prevented and treated.” A report released by the Citizen’s Commission for Human Development for 2007 revealed that 901 murder cases of women were reported in Punjab alone, whereas 688 women were kidnapped the same year. It said 317 cases of physical torture/harassment of women had been registered, while 100 women were set ablaze on petty issues in the province last year. According to independent reports by various human rights organisations during the last five years, 9,679 women had been murdered in Punjab, out of which 1,638 were murdered by their close relatives. Violence against women is an obstacle to the achievement of objectives of equality, development and peace. It violates and impairs or nullifies the enjoyment by women of their human rights and fundamental freedom. The long-standing failure to protect and promote those rights and freedom in the case of violence against women is a matter of concern to all states. Despite all these setbacks, Pakistan Government’s strong affirmative and proactive policy in engendering public services at all levels of entry are bearing fruit by placing women in high positions.
The Government is pursuing three-prong strategy: (a) providing equal opportunities to women and men in the developmental process. (b) Amending women’s discriminatory laws. (c) Finally, empowering them socially, politically and economically. The various projects like ‘Women Political Schools’, ‘Jafakash Aurat’ are being undertaken for uplift of women. The discriminatory laws like the Hudood Ordinance, the Laws of Evidence, and Qisas and Diyat continue to haunt women’s cause due to fierce opposition from hardliners and Islamic fundamentalists. The Government has pushed through a landmark “women protection bill” in November 2006, to amend the Laws that had made it virtually impossible for women to accuse men of rape. Another stride in the forward direction was taken when a Law on “honour killing,” was introduced. The Qisas and Diyat law was generally misused allowing compensation, forgiveness and out-of-court settlements, and also enabling the victims’ families to ‘forgive’ murderers, who in cases of ‘honour killings’ are often the victim’s relatives. Regarding women empowerment, there are more than 74 woman in a National Assembly of 342 and about 41000 women elected councilors across the country. The Government is increasing the ratio of women in the provincial parliamentary assemblies. Like the local councils, women should also have 33 percent reserved seats in all legislative bodies, since their current share of 17.5 percent was not proportionate to the country’s women population. The induction of female cadets in the fighting cadre of Pakistan Military, Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Air Force has kindled a spate of enthusiasm for other to emulate as they are as good as the male cadets. The appointment of the first woman Speaker in the National Assembly and appointment of first woman Governor of the State Bank of the country has elevated the status for women. Besides, the Government is planning to appoint women to the top judicial positions, including the high courts and Supreme Court of Pakistan. In addition to 10 percent quota reserved for women in central superior services (CSS), another milestone is 10 percent reservation of senior government jobs for women. At present, there are 4.2 percent women in government jobs. There are 11.9 percent women in the topmost ‘BS 17-22’ categories, with one woman in grade 22.
Women’s Expo organized every year, serves as a platform where over hundred thousand Pakistani women from all age groups classified as students, house wives and working women would congregate, meet and discuss their issues. Gender Reform Action Plan (GRAP) recently launched by the Government, aims at bridging gender gaps by examining and implementing policies and programmes from a women’s perspective. The plan is a landmark achievement in the struggle for gender justice. Another key reform under GRAP is the establishment of gender development sections in strategic ministries like finance, labour and law. GRAP’s political and legal reform package envisages a gender specific ballot paper, increasing the number of women’s polling booths from 34,000 to 74,000. Moreso, the Government has enabled women to register as voters under their own names instead of their spouses or fathers. According to Global Gender Gap (GGG) Report 2007, published by the World Economic Forum, Pakistan is doing well on the political empowerment of women, where it stands at 43 among 128 countries in the world rating. Due to a concerted and sustained effort of the Government, NGOs, human rights organizations and civil society in Pakistan, a more meaningful empowerment of women has taken place – that’s a great leap forward.

Pitfalls of increased military presence in Afghanistan
Jawayria Malik

OF LATE, there has been much focus on beefing up the number of troops in Afghanistan. But most analysts, as well as many military commanders, recognize that deployment of additional troops will not be the cure-all for the ills in Afghanistan. Rather they identify that a well-defined counterinsurgency strategy would not only support the combat activities but also reconstruction and stability. Nonetheless, US seems poised to deploy at least 10,000 additional troops in Afghanistan after US Defence Secretary ; Robert Gates endorsed a $17 billion funding program for so-called increase in the size of the Afghan National Army by almost 100 percent in the next five years. Though an estimated 70,000 NATO troops are already deployed in Afghanistan yet the number is being increased which points to the failure of foreign forces to control the situation in Afghanistan. It remains unclear why US eyes Afghanistan when she already has safer, less expensive and strategically more important basing arrangements elsewhere inner Asia, as in Uzbekistan and Mongolia. In reality, Washington plans to use Afghanistan as a permanent base for increasing US influence in central Asia and the Middle East, containing Russian and Chinese influence in the region.
According to Svante Cornell, Deputy Director Central Asia-Caucasus Institute, the US is keen to have a larger military presence in Afghanistan in order to secure its long-term interests in the region. He explained that ‘its not just Iran or drugs or something concrete and immediate – the goal seems to be strategic and long term’. For the future, the US envisages a wider area where military operations will be staged at short notices stretching from North Africa to Southeast Asia – including Central and South Asia. Strategic reach is the issue for America and as such, Afghanistan is only part of mosaic of US forward bases.
The US already operates bases at Qarshi Khanabad Air Field in Uzbekistan and at Manas international airport in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Since those two bases are not permanent yet it is unlikely that the bases would be abandoned anytime soon. But for America it’s pretty nice to have a base near the Russian and Chinese border.
Another important factor behind US’ increased military role and long stay in Afghanistan is Iran. A long-term US presence in Afghanistan would close the US circle around Islamic republic. She is already present in Iraq and has warships in the Persian Gulf as well. The US, if plans covert operations against Iran, the Shindand Air Base in western Afghanistan only some 100 Kilometers away from the Iranian border is likely to play an important role. Therefore, it would not be wrong to state that US’ keenness to increase its military in Afghanistan has nothing to do with peace and stability in Afghanistan but containing China and Russia’s increasing influence in CARs and closely monitoring Iran- an aspiring nuclear power.
But it must be realized that bringing Afghanistan to ‘must-win’ status means that US would have to weigh the cost involved vis-à-vis probability of success. According to US counterinsurgency doctrine, Afghanistan would require at least 400,000 troops to even have a chance of ‘winning’ the war. On the contrary, US must also understand that no foreign power has ever managed to stay in Afghanistan. There is no mystery as to why things have gone increasingly bad for the US and its allies. Once a population turns against an occupation, there are hardly any chances for them to continuously stay there for long. Afghanistan certainly is not the place for them.
As the situation continues to deteriorate, expanding the war in Afghanistan would turn out to be a disaster for the NATO forces. The long-term military presence in Afghanistan would only turn the conflict into one like Vietnam War of the early 21st century. The US must recognize that by any measure, winning Afghanistan militarily is simply impossible. Afghans have never accepted foreign masters as their rulers and they are not ready to buy the idea even today. That is why people of Afghanistan are in continuous conflict for decades. However, the only viable alternative is to begin direct negotiations with the Taliban, and to draw in regional powers Iran, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and China with a stake in the outcome.
 

Pakistanis face economic hardships
Indlieb Farazi

IN Islamabad’s markets talk is of rising food prices not the struggle for political power. It has been a week since Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan’s president, resigned and the country’s coalition government is still squabbling about who will take over the reigns of the country.
But while they worry about who will keep the tightest grip on power, the political uncertainty is taking its toll on the country’s economy and Pakistan’s working class are paying the price.
Inflation is at a record 24 per cent, fuelled by soaring food prices and a rapidly falling currency - the Pakistani rupee has fallen almost 24 per cent against the dollar this year. For most Pakistanis, concerns over who will become the country’s next leader are overshadowed by the economic turmoil that has made even the most basic food unaffordable.
In the markets of Islamabad, the capital, talk is of prices not politics. “It doesn’t matter who runs this country, they are all the same. They are members of the political elite and they do not represent the working class. It will just be a change of face, but Pakistan won’t see any benefits. It is the poorer people of society who are having to deal with inflation,” Ayesha Amir, a housewife, said.
Sher Ali Khan, a trader at the Pirwadhai Sabzimandi wholesale vegetable market, says soaring prices are taking their toll. “Look at the prices of rice, look at the cost of flour. Everyone is worried.”
Hunger
Onions are a staple ingredient in most Pakistani dishes - two days after Musharraf stepped down, their price rose from 18 rupees a kilogram to 30. This grandmother cannot afford to feed her nine grandchildren. The price of potatoes, another staple, has doubled.
In Rawalpindi, Islamabad’s twin city, an elderly woman showed us the one-room home she shares with her two sons, their wives and her nine grandchildren. Made from bamboo sticks and a cloth roof, it provides little shelter from the rain or heat and it is located on the edge of a storm drain, placing the family at constant threat from flash floods.
But at the moment that is the least of the family’s worries - they cannot afford to buy flour to make chappatis (a type of bread), their empty tin plates are stacked in the corner of the room and the family is on the brink of starvation.
“Whether Musharraf or anyone else is in power, it doesn’t matter, we have no food, nothing to eat. We have children and we have hunger in our home,” the grandmother says, too tired to shoo away the flies that sit on her face. An accident left her son, a manual labourer, unable to work and the family has no income.
Resolution
The ruling coalition government had vowed to turn its attention to the economy once Musharraf left.
But after six years of economic growth under Musharraf, the economy is facing widening trade and fiscal deficits, soaring inflation, and falling reserves. Some analysts and investors say the economy may need to borrow billions from abroad to stay afloat, perhaps even turning to the International Monetary Fund for a loan. Musharraf’s departure may have left the country with no clear leadership but those that remain must start to focus on what really matters - Pakistan’s rising food prices and growing hunger.

(Writer is Senior Producer of Al-Jazeera TV)