Allegedly, religious extremists and terrorists nesting in Pakistan conducted the strike, according to government officials, scholars, and journalists. Regardless of Pakistani position of the so-called “war on terrorism,” its unstable domestic security is enough to make the world horrified because of possible nuclear proliferation.

What I would like to call attention in THIS article is, however, neither on terrorist groups in Pakistan nor nuclear proliferation; it is on “post hoc ergo propter hoc (after that, therefore because of that).” This phrase is often referred by scholars in political
science and economics, and highlights the difference between correlation and causation. In order to give the readers some idea, I would like to bring an example from a TV drama “the West Wing,” a fictional story of the US administration.

At the premier of the second season, President Bartlet and his staff are shot, and National Security Advisor Dr. McNally recommends the soldier deployment into Kuwait and the Persian Gulf on the ground of possible involvement of Iraq in the attack. President did not take the recommendation. Later in the series, it is revealed that the attack was intended on President’s African-American Personal Aid conducted by a White supremacist group.

Of course, it is a fictional story, and hence, it cannot be compared with the real life situation. Yet, the message “correlation does not mean causation” still holds water. A happens after B does not mean A causes B. Likewise, doing C to stop A does not necessarily stop B. In the story above, Dr. McNally’s recommendation regarding Iraq is ineffective towards the White supremacists, as the gun shot was not fired by anti-American terrorists.

In the next few weeks, Pakistani government led by new leadership is most likely to tighten the security and may arrest several anti-Western activists in Pakistan. However, if (I emphasize this “if”) the bombing was conducted by political opponents in Pakistan who are not satisfied by the new leadership, such arrest mentioned above is off-focus.

In conclusion, tighten the security in order to prevent a further bomb attack is undoubtedly necessary. Yet, the Pakistani authority must be careful to speculate motives of the attack and pre-emptively arrest the possible suspects. If the arrest was mistake, it encourages the further hostility and thus the second strike.

How committed are the South Asian nations to promoting education for all? How focused, indeed, are they on building their future?

At the Millennium Summit in September 2000, an important Millennium Development Goal (MDG) was drafted that focuses on increasing literacy among children around the world. It asks the member States to “ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling.”

Unfortunately, a look at the status of education in some Asian countries depicts a worrisome trend and it is feared that they might not be able to achieve this goal within the stipulated timeframe. The drop-out rates are on the rise among children from poor families, girls, street children and other marginalized groups.

According to UNESCO, Asia has the world’s largest share of children not receiving an education. UNESCO’s Education For All Global Monitoring Report 2007 states that Pakistan ranks second in the world with the highest number of out-of-school children. Of these 6.5 million out-of-school Pakistani children, “80 per cent were never enrolled, 10 per cent dropped out, while the remaining could get to school at some later stage.” India ranks third with 4.5 million such kids. India also houses the largest number of ‘working’ children in the world – about ¼ of the world’s total. The official Indian Government figures estimate the number of working children to be at about 59 million, though Oxfam estimates speak of 100-150 million.

Out-of-school children – whether not enrolled at all or drop-outs – often end up in the child labour markets, working in some of the worst working conditions imaginable. This includes working in brick kilns and factories in bonded-labour with no fixed hours or minimum wage-limit, as well as being forcibly recruited to fight in conflict areas and sold into commercial sex tourism.

Girls comprise about 57% of all out-of-school children and 2/3 of adults without access to literacy are women. In a majority of developing countries, girls suffer serious forms of discrimination. In Pakistan, over half of the population comprises of children, roughly a ¼ of which are girls. Sadly, only 25% of these girls manage to finish primary school. UNESCO supports girls’ education in developing countries by sponsoring their access to, and retention in, primary education and by encouraging education policies and strategies of governments and NGOs that aim to provide girls and women with equal opportunities of learning and decision-making regarding their future.

The United Nations (UN) estimates the number of street children to be around 100 million. According to Asian Development bank (ADB) reports, the world’s largest number of street children resides in South Asia. They constitute the marginalized group of many Asian societies and are often neglected by governments when implementing welfare schemes. The Human Rights Watch has found that India has 18 million street children, the world’s largest concentration (HRWA 2000). Other Asian nations offer similar trends. In Afghanistan, more than two decades of war has resulted in huge populations of orphaned street children struggling to survive – about 37,000 based on a headcount in 2002. Nepal is home to about 30,000 street children according to a 1996 estimate. These street children constitute a big part of the statistics of children who are either out-of-school or are drop-outs.
Some experts estimate that half of the 104 million out-of-school children live in countries that are in, or recovering from conflict.

Education in crisis situations can provide children with a sense of normalcy, but in the first Global Survey on Education in Emergencies, research shows that “over 27 million children and youth do not have access to education in 10 countries affected by conflict.” In Sri Lanka, in the North-Eastern Province alone, it is estimated that 2,000 children have been involved in the guerilla warfare as child soldiers, and face difficulties readapting to age-appropriate living conditions. In such areas, UNESCO not only provides emergency educational assistance but also helps local aid agencies and governments to establish makeshift schools, improve learning conditions and provide other necessary materials.

One major hurdle, in the provision of basic education to children, is limitation arising from some form of disability such as physical handicaps, cognitive, motor, visual or auditory disabilities. According to UNESCO the number of children under the age of 18 with disabilities around the world has been estimated to be between 120 and 150 million, and more than 90% of such disadvantaged children in developing countries do not attend school. Although humanitarian aid agencies insist upon special initiatives for the disabled, many South Asian nations are lagging far behind in undertaking the necessary initiatives.

For the Asian nations still struggling in the education sector, the drop-out rate is a bigger problem than enrolment, though both offer serious cause for concern. According to UNESCO’s Education For All Global Monitoring Report 2007, “the net enrolment ratio (NER) in Pakistan is less than 80 per cent as compared to other developing countries where enrolment ratios jumped to over 85 per cent by 2004″, says the report, adding that “NERs increased significantly in South and West Asia from 77 per cent to 86 per cent, with the exception of Pakistan and Nepal.”

A UNESCO 2004 study reveals that Asia tops the school dropout league. An Asian Development Bank (ADB) report suggests that in South Asia, for every 100 children who start grade one, less than 60 will complete grade five within the prescribed time. The Primary school drop-out rates for some Asian countries are:

Pakistan – 55%
India – 53%
Laos – 47%
Burma – 45%
Nepal, Cambodia, Bangladesh – 35-38%

Despite efforts of the UN and Aid Agencies, as well as governments and NGOs, the drop-out rates clearly establish that much more needs to be done. Some of the steps that may be taken to improve enrollments and decrease drop-out rates are:

• It is important for enrolment and sustainability that States make primary education free and compulsory According to the new edition of the EFA Global Monitoring Report, “Primary-school fees, which are a major obstacle for universal access, are still collected in 89 countries out of 103 surveyed.” It must also be accessible to all, without any form of discrimination – as the Salamanca Statement urges: “… schools should accommodate all children regardless of their physical, intellectual, social, emotional, linguistic or other conditions.”
(Article 3, The Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action, Salamanca, Spain, 1994)

• It is important to fight all kinds of injustice done to the girl-child. Recently, one religious cleric in Pakistan declared girls’ education as un-Islamic. As a result, parents of more than 2,000 girls in that area stopped sending them to school. It is important not to allow anyone to manipulate religious sentiment, and impress upon parents and other community members the value of an educated female as a useful community member who would also pass on the benefits of education to the future generations.

• There is a need for a large number of qualified teachers in Asia. In 75% of Indian schools there is only one teacher for several classes. In Pakistan, officially, there is one teacher per 35 students in primary schools and one teacher per 48 students at secondary level, but a serious problem for Pakistan government is the presence of ‘Ghost’ schools in remote areas where teachers simply don’t turn up. Bangladeshi pupils are found to be in the most crowded classes, with just one teacher for every 57 pupils. Cases of physical punishment also result in increasing drop-out rates. UNESCO officials stress the need for properly trained teachers with adequate command over their respective subjects and teaching skills. Neglected groups must be targeted specifically in all social uplifting schemes with approaches having flexible non-formal teaching methodologies rather than promoting standard schooling.

• Improving the quality of curriculum would increase its value and, hence, sustained participation. The education curriculum must include teaching of technical skills and life skills to give children a chance at practical and productive livelihoods. That would also encourage parents to get their children enrolled.

• Poverty alleviation schemes involving government and NGO sector should focus on countering the effects of lack of basic necessities such as food, clothing etc. Creating awareness about the importance of support and guidance from parents and the relevance of formal education would also go a long way in solving the drop-out problem.

If the efforts of organizations committed to spreading education around the world are supplemented by a stronger political will of governments, there is no reason why the MDG on literacy cannot be achieved by 2015. It would be a very small investment in terms of the far reaching development benefits it would yield.

(This article originally appeared in SouthAsia magazine.)

A few years ago when I used to think what it would be like to live in the year 2008 and onwards I assumed a world much similar to that of the one depicted in the sci-fi movies and fantasy fiction. Technology would have taken over the problems that are too distracting in human growth in general, places like Gaza, Chad, Darfur, and Afghanistan etc. will be relatively better off in terms of making themselves a better bargain for futures ahead.

Upon my waking up and that to the reality where all has changed with time and for the worse, the crises on the earth (political as well as socio-economic) have not only gotten mature but have consistently perpetuated themselves. Ironically 2008 is no different than the dark alley of a tunnel whose length and width are not known owing to human indifference to studying nature at times.

Speaking of 2008 being the year of Olympics, what seemed to many a source of bliss and pride as Pakistanis or Asians so to speak, we were the atypical host of the Olympic torch and Islamabad was not a surprise picking in this regard. Since than much has been said and written about the pride we should take as a nation in being the neighbors of People’s Republic of China and of course as Pakistanis and in particular to the position that we some how suddenly have acquired to be given the status of an Olympics torch host alongside countries like US, UK, France, and India.

All this sounds music to the ears when I gaze at this pleasant state of the affairs and indeed take pride in the spirit of the Olympics- united and equal, we are but one world.

But a prompt Shift in the frame of reference shatters all this vanity and takes away all the pride that I endure in being who I am and where I am. What good all this do? Or the recently acquired (or rather fought out) democracy, more so when in these contemporary age being amongst the only few nations capable of making their own unmanned spy planes. On the contrary some things beyond truly dreadful happens under the same sun in our very own premises, where a mother of two ( a five year old son and four year old daughter) taking along her two kids decides to be rundown by a passing train owing to excruciating circumstances i.e. ; poverty , and a young man in his 20s shots himself in a street in Rawalpindi crowded by many also due to the same reasons ( he was unable to find a job despite having a degree) , as if all this hadn’t been enough where a Rickshaw driver is seen with an advert on the back of his rickshaw saying ‘ kidney for sale’ all this due to him being unable to repay his loans and bear the expenses of livelihood. All this being just a glimpse of how things have gone wrong economically and socially.

Many Development Economists can indeed dispute here with me on this one and will counter this change of heart to the notion that economic disparities are a global phenomenon, joblessness is a problem even in developed nations, and inflation is an issue even in developed countries like Japan. But than the leaders and the so-called decision makers in all these nations do something, just a bit to counter the inevitable that haunts all the pessimist of the world. We on the other hand sadly are only entangled in issues like who should be the chief justice and which party should have more been given ministries in the interest of a certain province. All this may not be trivial but what about the people and their problems, after all this is done in the name of the very people in torment.

All this takes me back to my dream, a dream that ceases to fade away more so due to the hope tangled with it, as some one rightly said dreams may fade but hope shall never. So I continue to hope because hopes don’t cost anything they only make u live longer.

Six people living in one room and a veranda was getting too much; and by February 1986 the plans were made to move to a new house in the New Civil Lines near Punjab House in Rawalpindi. Since I had passed my primary (fifth standard) exams, therefore I had to get admission in a new school as well. I was neither really sad about leaving my current school nor was I excited about joining the new one; because the whole concept of school was a cumbersome feeling for me. I never liked or even approved the idea of schools.

The closest school to the place where we shifted was Federal Government High School, Marir Hassan; or Marir University as it was called in the streets, given its long history of accepting enrollment of street vagabonds, and even producing its own share of the lot. The school was close and it was cheap; everything fitted in. I would just have to walk for about 10 minutes; and I never mind walking. I joined the school a few weeks after the session had begun.

I don’t exactly remember my first day in school but I do remember the feeling. Kamran, a.k.a Kami was the brightest student in 6th C, the monitor of the class and of course sat in the prime seat at the right corner of the middle row. His uniform was the cleanest and his school bag the neatest and even worst than that, he spoke another language called English. I knew I wasn’t going to give a flying damn about him.

Zafar and Ijaz were both first cousins; they must be good students as well because they sat in the second row on the far left. Now that I think back about what I was thinking then, I must be a good face reader. Zafar seemed to be a nice bloke, straight forward, who would mind his own business and focus more on studies. Ijaz was on the reverse side; his eyes would tell he was intelligent of the wicked kind. Zafar was there to study for Ijaz as well, so Ijaz focused more on extra-class activities. There was space available on their bench and they were generous enough to offer me the place; I accepted the offer.

F.G. High School Marir Hassan stands at the shoulder of Mayo Road that starts off from Kachehri Chowk and merges into Murree Road at Marir Chowk. The school is situated just before the Marir Hassan bus stop. In 1986, it was a pale old building with grim looking windows that gave it a haunting look. A few years back, the building was reconstructed and today it has a fresher haunting look to it.

The students of the school came from different social classes; the poor, the less poor, the lower middle class and some even from the middle and upper middle class. There were a few exceptions though; I remember one guy who was a class senior to me, always thronged by some very loyal mates. His uniform just didn’t look like a uniform, though it was the same color, it was brighter and better than ours; he had long hair and would never be reprimanded by the PT Master for that. What made him even more aloof was that he never bought anything from the school canteen, I never saw him eating a 5 paisa toffee or 25 paisa chewing gum; he just wouldn’t eat anything at recess, a car would come pick him up and he would go home for 45 minutes of midday break. Even though I never wanted to be friends with him, we did actually end up being pals. His uncle is a very well known politician and a former member of the Punjab National Assembly.

6th C was considered to be a below standard class, with the exception of a few front-rowers who were considered to be the brains. At the times of admission, they put me in this class and I kept wondering for the first couple of weeks as to what gave the teachers the idea that I belonged there. Whatever the idea was, they were certainly right. I wasn’t much interested in studying anyways.

Nabi Ahmad; that guy was completely the opposite of his sweet name. He sat in the last row and was the worst possible distraction for any student or teacher. I knew he was the kind of guy I would get along well with. I wasn’t a bad guy, I was a mere rebel. The thought of doing something out of the way just to please a teacher or to impress fellow students disgusted me.
I am not claiming that it was my original idea, but I can’t recall either as to where did I get this idea from; but my theme has always been to pay attention to what the teacher is saying and that’s it; you will pass your exams. And if you add a bit of your own brain to what you listen, you will pass with good grades. Just before the summer break; the internal exams took place and I came second in my class, just after Kami. The teachers noted my existence and so did the front-rowers; but I was too busy playing cricket with the so-called trash of the class.

To be continued. …

Over the last hundred years, Western societies have seen a change in attitude, with emancipation and empowerment of women bringing about a major revolution in their status. Unfortunately, Eastern societies by and large still remain mired in centuries-old traditions strongly emphasizing stereotyping of gender roles. However, despite widespread gender-bias in these societies, women are surprisingly resilient and competitive. Four major Eastern nations, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Turkey, comprising at least half the world’s Muslim population, have had women Prime Ministers. Pakistan has also recently elected a woman as Speaker of the National Assembly.

Conversely, when we look at the wider picture, the status of women presents a dismal picture. They are encouraged to be submissive, dependent and subordinate with the majority having little or no control over any kind of economic or political decision-making, as well as in everyday issues like marriage, number of children, dress code, access to basic health facilities and career aspirations. Men, on the other hand, enjoy a privileged existence. A male child has priority over his female sibling in access to food, education and health. Not surprisingly, the percentage of males outnumbers that of females in Pakistan as is evident in a report of The Demographic and Health Survey of Pakistan – a trend opposed to that prevalent in the rest of the world. One of the important causes of this discrepancy is high mortality rate in childbearing young women. This mortality rate for women is estimated to be twice as much as that of men of the same age-group.

A major obstacle in the way to empowerment of women is gender bias leading to economic dependence. The UN Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM) has ranked Pakistan as 100th among 185 of its registered countries. Social constraints prevent many capable women from pursuing active careers and achieving economic independence. According to Government of Pakistan figures, the percentage of working women in Pakistan is only 14% – a dismal picture for the future of a country that badly needs as many working hands as possible in order to not only improve its standing among the developing nations but, actually, to survive.

The predicament of the lower class woman is understandably worse than that of the middle or upper class female, though both suffer due to unjust social practices. They are battling domestic violence, Karo-Kari, marriage to the Quran, Swara, Wani, Honour killings and much more, besides other less severe forms of discrimination from close family members. Due to economic pressures, female employment is much higher among low-income groups than in the middle or upper class. Unfortunately, these workingwomen do not benefit from their hard work, as they are not independent decision-makers in the use of their earnings.

For the middle and upper-middle class female, social pressures appear to dictate career choices. Medicine and teaching appear to be the most sought after fields, albeit per force. Though both provide excellent career opportunities for women having an aptitude for these professions, many enter these fields for lack of other available options. As a result, they experience little or no job satisfaction and are unable to contribute productively. Only a small percentage of women defy tradition and venture into male-dominated fields, risking the wrath of their own family as well as censure from society. These women have to struggle hard to secure their rights in the workplace. The attitude of male colleagues is often discouraging, as they become wary of competition from those widely acknowledged inferior. Women who aspire for higher management positions meet stiff resistance; while for those who manage to climb the corporate ladder despite all odds, success is attributed to unjustified means, not competence.

Recently however, a change has been observed with women – though still a minority – competing and succeeding in diverse technical fields joining private organizations and getting noticed for their silent contribution to the dwindling economy. They are also making a mark in the political arena with a record number of representation as women legislators in the political decision-making bodies, traditionally considered male-dominated power houses.

One encouraging factor for women in Pakistan, resulting in an increase in participation in non-traditional fields is the burgeoning of the NGO sector over the last few years. It has provided a wide range of job opportunities to women with good salary packages. The ‘glass-ceiling effect’ felt and resented by a large number of women working in many of the government and private organizations, in which the power hierarchy does not allow women to go beyond a certain level despite fulfilling all the pre-requisites, has been challenged by these NGOs who offer jobs on the basis of qualifications. They install women as programme coordinators and send them out in the field to prove their worth, rather than settling for locally-accepted select set of positions. In this regard, the foreign donors having humanitarian, or female-friendly, agendas are playing an important role.

In the Pakistan Armed forces, there has been a change in policy towards empowerment of women, as is obvious from the induction of female cadets in the Air Force as fighter pilots. In the Army, besides the already established positions of females working as doctors and nurses in the Army Medical Corps, other corps are now allowing induction of females in field jobs. The Pakistan Navy has also inducted female cadets. The Pakistan Armed Forces are generally considered female-friendly organizations and their command structure caters to the social needs of female officers who are not posted to what are known as ‘hard-areas’ to avoid social problems. Female medical officers who happen to be spouses of Army officers are only posted to stations that will accommodate both officers. However, the trend in society of bias towards female colleagues extends itself here too and, sometimes senior male colleagues are observed dealing with their female subordinates with undue harshness. Credit for a job well done is many a time not generously given, while male colleagues attribute even genuine appreciation from superiors to mere indulgence.

Despite all odds, Pakistani women have come a long way in the last sixty years and will continue to move forward in order to secure the rights denied to them by an intolerant and biased society but promised by the Constitution of the country, as well as the religion it claims to represent. The winds of change are blowing on the horizon and it might be wise for all concerned to make way for the emancipated, motivated and self-aware woman of today.

This article was first published in SouthAsia magazine; this is an edited version.

A few weeks ago, while discussing the future of Pakistan, I hit some clichés which although vital can be considered redundant in terms of thought and creativity of development in Pakistan, as they are equivalent to banging on the old closed door, ‘for and against’ a rhetoric of education which lacks creative insight.

In this issue I would want to refine my emphasis on education as I quoted earlier ‘the quantity and quality and the deepening of the system in the only way to prosperity’ – For one, lets over look technical education, rural education, the education outside the mainstream, the quality of the local metric, the administrative, managerial, political problems within the masses system.

Let us consider the short coming of the some of the best and lime lighted Institutions in the country, with a specific focus on the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) as a case study, given my first hand exposure and eventual opportunity to progress and move further away.

The Institute had its high days, produced some of the highest achievers in the country and probably even does so today- but more due to its social name which in the first place leads to an influx of quality minds relative to its nurturing capacity and consequent positive effect on the students. Simply said, it takes from, rather than gives back it’s the student, if anything, a social stamp, which surely is not the progressive purpose of education.

I believe, in the current day- the IBA effect- has a positive social, yet negative mental (empowerment) fall out on each individual that goes to that university. The cost-benefit can be weighted on the current standing of the institute. Although, the cost-benefit is tilted in favour of the benefit today, it will certainly be offset in the near future by the cost due to the availability of better alternatives of education specifically the external education programs and the inability of the Institute to change progressively.

The Institute today is a lost soul, an army prototype machine- which although is a job creating factory for its graduates, lacks the juice to motivate learning. Its fame is predominantly driven by the lack of better alternatives to the school instead of the bounties you may associate with a tier one institution and the knowledge it disseminates to its students. What a great education model that is? – given the purpose and meaning of education discussed in an earlier post by Mona Shahzad. [Multiple Education Systems or Single System of Complete Education?]

However, its social standing and running today will inevitably change as better options mature and spread through our society.

In terms of practice, the Institute demands a lot of work from its students, and fairly so. However, the demands are based on quantity relative to quality. In the developed world (for lack of a better word), education is purposed to empower the human mind, instigate a road to on-going learning and trigger confidence (on a absolute rather than relative level) – not measured in terms of domestic value but in terms of drivers of unbounded boundaries. The system is complemented by state of openness, access and free (libre) thinking.

Up-to-date research papers, comprehensive discussions groups, question answers with progressive study, questioning the very gut of the best of the best, with no absolute answer and all relative ideas- the student as the king, the student as the focus, their mentality and personality as their differentiation attributes, learning and education is disseminated in its true form (a further inspiration to learn). The system triggers a set of belief and support in the student and maps the roads to unbounded development.

However in the current IBA (not the one 15 years from ago), learning is based on books from the past decades, rout learning and a ‘yes’ sir attitude is the demand of each day, no questions- and very little answers, the teacher is the king and a reproduction of doctrine rhetoric rather than any creative input of the best of the best is the map for a successful grade, exceptions apart. Therefore, let alone the epidemic of no education, the educated are also being cursed with the plague of our surroundings.

However recently (2004), the National Curriculum Revision Committee for Business Schools (Pakistan) revised and standardised text books across business schools in the country. Paradoxically enough, the majority of text books approved are written by Western authors, particularly American. Most books listed by Pakistani authors are predominantly based around subjects specific to Pakistan and Islam (Sarah Khan, 2007). One wonders why such a classification exist, what happened to context specific application? If anything, alternatives from India and other developing countries which face similar business environments to Pakistan would be better relative to models from business environments which are alien to our surroundings- given the practical purpose of BBA and MBA programs (which are run in the IBA) relative to the academic scientific tone provided by BSC and MSC programs (not provided in IBA). Further, does this indicate incompetence of our authors on the international arena or exposes our mental dependence on the west?

Undoubtedly, the graduates from the University are very hard working, goal oriented individuals- even if the goal is to meet deadlines, get through course work, achieve the IBA stamp and attain a high paying job, they are being nurtured and tuned in a mentality of dependency which is not surprising given the feudal mentality grilled in our surroundings. This is further evident, given the lack of students the school inspires to go attain a PHD, which truly shows that education has become the consequence rather than the cause of our lives.

Today, the future is at stake, if we don’t identify and rectify these bottlenecks, we will be plagued for decades to come, until we will be so far behind- that the current foreign exchange burdens would have exponentially multiplied- given the infiltration of external programmes coming into the country plus our very graduates going abroad- let alone other indirect strains on the foreign exchange.

As always, even today we strive for freedom but we do not know what to do with that freedom- as we rarely will, if we do not have a matured and progressive domestic platform. We need to break free from the strings of our traditional mentality, the doctrines of our system- especially given that by definition, the University in question produces the future leaders of our nation.

It is believed that education drives change, however, in Pakistan education itself is caught in the vicious circle. Mind you, as a policy perspective this requires no money- not at all, only foresight, belief, the acceptance of our shortcoming and willingness to change.

Under a protectionist regime, a regime which says NO to competition, free markets and empowerment of the human mind.

It certainly does not fit with the future we want to attain in our country (Pakistan) in terms of mentality, thought or practice. It replicates the mentality of dependency and being second tier in world practice, even if that qualifies as first tier in our domestic market. The methodology is based on grilling knowledge and fostering dependency rather than sowing the seeds for academic fruit, human thinking and breaking the stereotypes. Hence its objective and focus is not suited to competition on a global scale given the early half of the 21st century, where capitalism in its innovative form is the norm or believed norm for growth and progress.

Further, its business model and success in the current years is based on the lack of competitive alternatives (LUMS as an exception) in terms of networking, business education and the high and lust created by the graduates of the past decades. The norms of the system were compatible with the markets of the past decades. However, the changing tide and the lack of flexibility is evident by the influx and take over being drafted by the external programs infiltrating and further deepening our foreign exchange problems.

Further, the lust of the early 1990′s does not exist today, not due to the graduates themselves- who probably are the tier one students and hardworking academic souls in the country but rather through the norms of dependency inculcated in our practice (system) by the British pre-partition.

In the next issue, I will discuss my claims in depth (this is a teaser- to say the most), drawing a link between the current issue and my quotation from an earlier post ‘quantity, quality and the deepening of the education system is the only way to prosperity’.

Till then,

Note: To my friends from IBA- your response is especially appreciated and further, this is not to discount your hard work but to highlight your spirit and work with a framework of constructive criticism for progress and a better future.

IBA: Institute of Business Administration- Pakistan

No, not possible.
Not possible to get a ticket for Jhelum or a ticket for Lahore to change?
Not at all possible. Ticketing problem.
But you have a computer ticketing service.
Ah yes, but the system is down today. Saturday, you see.
The system is always down on Saturdays?
…hmmmm…usually.
So where could I get a bus that goes to Jhelum?
At bus station.
Any bus station? Any one in Bahawalpur?
No…only one.
So which one?
I am not sure.
Not sure?
…hmmmm…maybe by Farid Gate there is bus station for Jhelum.
There is no bus station at Farid Gate, only rickshaw stand…
…ahhh…yes you are right. Maybe further up road…
But you think that is where I can get Jhelum bus, maybe?
…hmmm…maybe…maybe not…
Thank you.
No problem Sir.

Sargodha?
No, Jhelum. Jhelum…near ‘Pindi.
You want bus for ‘Pindi?
No Jhelum.
…ahhh! Jhelum! Yes, over there…Niazi travels…they bus go Jhelum.
Thank you.
No problem.

Jhelum? Hmmmm…maybe.
C’mon, you must know if you have a bus to Jhelum.
Yes, Sir, we do.
OK I want to go on Monday, at what time does it leave?
Maybe you don’t want to go to Jhelum, sir.
Yes, I do, I want to go to Jhelum.
There are no tickets, sorry Sir.
You are fully booked for Monday and today is Saturday?
No Sir, not book full but no tickets.
Why?
Problems…many problems.
Like what? All I want is to go to Jhelum, what is the problem with that?
Road is problem, Sir.
Road? Problem? How is road problem?
Very bad Sir. You would not like it.
What sort of bad? Bumpy? Bumpy no problem for me.
No Sir, very bad road. Not bumpy. Very good road to Jhelum.
Not bumpy bad road?
Very bad. Train is better.
Train?
Yes train.
Why is train better?
Because then there is no bad road and you are happy.
I will be very happy if you sell me a ticket to Jhelum…
Very problem Sir…
…ahhh…is problem dacoo? (1)
Sometimes Sir, and very problem for goras. (2)
Always dacoo this road?
…hmmm…sometimes…
…so better get train?
…yes Sir, better train.
Thank you.
No problem sir.

So which train is best to get for Jhelum?
Not possible.
But the Rohi and the Awam expresses go to Jhelum…it says so here.
Yes they do but not possible. Booked.
How do you know they are booked?
Maybe they are booked.
But you don’t know if they are booked?
…maybe…
So tell me the times of trains to Jhelum.
They are in the night.
At what time they leave Bahawalpur? And is there a sleeper coach?
No Sir, no sleeper, only a/c lower.
Any Parlour class?
No.
So only hard?
Yes.
So at what time and how long it takes to Jhelum?
Very very long.
How long?
Many hours. Many.
So how many? And what time it leave Bahawalpur?
Maybe twelve.
Twelve hours travelling or it leaves at twelve?
Yes.
At what time it leaves?
…hmmm…9.30.
At night?
Yes.
So can I have a ticket for Monday?
No.
No?
No. This only enquiry this wallah along he tickets.

Hello. Ticket for Jhelum on Monday, a/c lower please. Awam Express.
Hmmmmm…maybe…hmmm…no. Booked.
What…all booked?
All booked.
There are 68 seats in a/c lower coach and they are all booked on Monday?
Yes, all booked. Maybe you go later?
No I want to go on Monday…or maybe Sunday. Any chance Sunday?
…hmmm…no…all booked.
Any other train go to Jhelum?
No, only Awam. Maybe you go by coach. Try Daewoo.
Thank you, I was there this morning, and they do not stop at Jhelum.
Hmmm…very problem sir. Go to ‘Pindi, then Jhelum bus.
But ‘Pindi is 70 miles on from Jhelum…
Hmmm…
Thank you.
No problem, Sir.

Ticket for ‘Pindi please, Sunday evening.
But we do not stop at Jhelum, this Manager he explain you.
That’s OK, just a ticket for ‘Pindi.
But you want to go to Jhelum…
That’s right.
So why you want ticket for ‘Pindi? Train goes Jhelum. Niazi go Jhelum.
Train booked, Niazi say dacoo…maybe…
…ahhh…yes…dacoo on that road, this why we have armed guards on bus.
So why not go another route with no dacoo?
No Sir, this very good road through Jhelum, very fast.
I see…any chance of a ‘Pindi ticket for Sunday night?
Are you sure Sir, we not go Jhelum…
Just give me a ‘Pindi ticket.
Certainly Sir, that will be 550 rupees seat number sixteen, leave 9 p.m.
Thank you.
No problem, Sir.

——————————————

1. Dacoo = Highway Robbers

2. Goras = Pale Faces

You drew a contrast between South Korea and Pakistan- I disagree with the comparison, primarily based on 2 factors.

1) Given that 35 years ago, the foreign interest in South Korea was very different in purpose, even if not in action, relative to the Pakistan.
2) South Korea progressed into democracy, did not jump into it. Implying that the transition was coupled with several institutional reforms which are not allowed to take place in Pakistan, at least not peacefully.

On a different note, like today we continue to advocate for a military free democratic government, fairly and rightly so! Although we do not really know how to progress in the future with this government, which is based on the very bottlenecks our society is plagued with. Similarly, further back in the day we kept advocating for independence, however we did not know what to do with it, once we attained it. For instance if we would have implemented land reforms right after independence, our economic and social policies would not be contained around such sticky structural rigidities. Therefore, foresight is our biggest constraint.

I think it is misleading to say that the people of Pakistan are not aware of the cost at stake. However, I do agree they seem tuned and immune to their surroundings, hence the lack of panic in the business environment and the robustness shown by the stock market, in terms of its ability to bounce back, which if anything, is a positive rather than a negative.

I certainly agree, that the wheat and energy crisis are the result of the mishandlings of the previous government, however past portfolios of other standing governments do show differing but not better results.

In terms of inequality, yes it has been a chronic disease with a natural outcome of the neo-liberal policies imposed in the capital given our environment, these policies are predominantly efficiency based and instigate inequality in the short run. However, it is never the case of one for the other; better redistribution policies need to be implemented. However, redistribution is not the long term solution. Better education in terms of quantity and quality is the only way to prosperity, with a core emphasis on deepening of the system. Therefore, regardless of the economic policy, due to the low literacy and flexibility among the major crux of the masses, inequality is inevitable!

However, it is important to note that issues of redistribution have existed for much longer than the period of this government therefore in terms of issues relative to redistribution (corruption and mismanagement of funds through the system) it is virtually impossible to enforce an effective redistribution system without a long term commitment to solve the problem. However, better interim action could have been taken.

I would further argue, based on hindsight, although relative inequality has increased, absolute poverty which is the true measure of poverty has decreased in core terms- i.e. if we disregard the current wheat and energy crisis, which is more a global rather than Pakistan instigated phenomena. However, alternatives such a better management for wheat and coal as a energy alternative should be looked into as well.

Ali Sohail wrote this article while responding to a previous article by Anas Tahir: Pakistan: Into The Future 

I am not going to deny all this, because with a sane mind and a true heart, I simply can’t reject such overwhelming facts about Pakistan. In fact, if I am to write on my country, I wouldn’t take a paragraph to describe its flawed characteristics, I would go on writing page after page.

But here, I would rather flip the picture for a while.

I have ‘personally’ known this person for more than 19 years now; he is not rich at all, not even much educated as he hardly finished school. He has worked as a postman all his life and after retirement is still working on his own. He has never taken more than what was his right, he has never held back what wasn’t his, he has always given way when others were in a hurry and always stood in patience while the men in front slowed down. He has always met everyone with a smile and departed with a prayer, he has always said thank you for even a smile and hurried on to an apology if he caused even an unintentional discomfort. He has listened with all his time and has given advice with all his heart.

His worst disapproval is his silence and he extends generous praise for every little effort. He has brought up his children (who are my dear friends) with fair money and gave them the confidence and knowledge to know and do noble deeds. His hands are all rugged and hard and his legs are all stiff due to long bicycle rides and long walks to his work but I am yet to hear him complain. He remembers God and never forgets his family, relatives, friends and even the people he hardly knows. He is humble when he talks, logical when argues, noble when decides and honest when he deals.

I can write page after page about this part of Pakistan I know. He is a real person in this real world; a living proof that life, the world and this place called Pakistan isn’t only filled with dishonest people; there is this soul of Pakistan that is still alive, breathing and at work. It never will quit.

There are people who ask for grounds to love their country, there are people who need reasons to be sane, there are people who have nothing but bitter words for their own country. I ‘personally’ know people (Pakistanis of course) who call Pakistanis stupid and I’ve never really argued with them; but when I look at that postman, I absolutely disagree with them.