Let's Grow as a Proud Nation

SPECIAL EDITION

Constantly, the people of Pakistan are being subjected/roughed up by a variety of mafia groups. Democracy is only the name of the game; there is power-mafia focused on political power, others include land mafia, and extortionist (Bhatta) mafia. Maybe, weakening the commercial hub is part of the strategy. Any unlawful wealth that these thugs generate ends up becoming their effective passport to enjoy respect, power and influence.
Tragedy is the miserable populace is inherently set up or is manipulated to continue remaining deprived of a good feel of the concept of nationhood. Sadly, the nation-building effort remains only in the books. Unless remedied, the concept of nationhood remains a misconception.

Most probably, people are driven strategically by the hidden hand to keep them divided along regional, ethnic, linguistic, and religious lines. So, expecting good results from bad harvest doesn’t make sense.
Unfortunately, the military/civil rulers of the past came to fix the wrongs but all disappeared leaving the status quo intact. And, the current rulers face governance challenges. Administrative paralysis is all time high.

Equality is missing: Major culprit is lack of equal opportunity of quality education to all regardless of ethnicity, colour, creed, or socio-economic level.
Shamefully, the ruling elite and religious leaders have exploited the banner of Islam to attain and retain power without ever trying to reform state and society in line with its egalitarian principles.
Issue of East Pakistan was mishandled by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and the then Military Chief, and there is a lesson but it’s forgotten. No one seems to have learnt.

Moreover, there are vested interests, state or non state actors that are bent upon making Pakistan a sacrificial goat under all circumstances. They don’t want Pakistan to progress economically and Pakistan doesn’t know how to convince the international community about the rape it has been constantly subjected to.
After the projects of Kalabagh dam and Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline are shelved, the proposed “Pakistan-China economic corridor” faces criticism and opposition. This non sense political wrangling is detrimental to Pakistan.

Messing up will be costly: The $45 billion Pakistan-China Economic Corridor was termed as a flagship strategic cooperation project, a potential game changer in South Asia. If completed, the corridor would connect Gwadar with Chinese city of Kashgar through highways, rail link and oil-gas pipelines as expected, however, the uncertainty shrouds the mystery.

Pain in the neck: The political mafia knows every trick of the trade and loves dynastic politics. They manage very well using “clichés of democracy” as their best defence whenever they are challenged.
Though, they claim their commitment to genuine democracy, yet it’s best reflected in how they handle their political parties.
Actually, it’s nothing more than a fake democracy where civil politicians are apparently the worst dictators because they want their kids to inherit the party. In other words, democracy becomes the best revenge in their dictionary as it gives them an opportunity to further rob and plunder the wealth of this country. Not funny, but the sad part is that they find allies among the many good people who are part of media and civil-society organisations.

Constant attempts to undo Pakistan: Foreign sponsored terrorism as well as the sectarian differences have added fuel to the ongoing fire and all is blown out of proportion under state patronage. Definitely, it poses an existentialist threat to Pakistan.
Mr Jinnah said, “If we want to make this great State of Pakistan happy and prosperous we should wholly and solely concentrate on the well-being of the people, and especially of the masses and the poor... you are free- you are free to go to your temples mosques or any other place of worship in this state of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion, caste or creed that has nothing to do with the business of the state... in due course of time Hindus will cease to be Hindus and Muslims will cease to Muslims- not in a religious sense for that is the personal faith of an individual- but in a political sense as citizens of one state” ._. Address to the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan, Karachi ...August 11, 1947*****

In response to Zarb e Azb, the terrorists are on a suicide bombing spree throughout the country, while the chief terrorist is hiding in Afghanistan.
Pakistan needs a tighter disciplinary policy to catch those involved in money laundering. Money laundering is a criminal offense and Switzerland is a signatory to the law as is Pakistan. If a Pakistani court can indict particular individuals, then Switzerland is bound to disclose the holdings. And, there is tons of misappropriated money deposited in UAE banks by the Pakistani rich elite, but irony is Pakistan government has no objection. There is no serious effort on the part of government to bring back money looted from the Pakistani exchequer.

Furthermore, politicians have huge amounts of deposits in the U.K., Switzerland and Dubai. Several billions in U.S. dollars means a lot. Pakistan will be saved from economic disaster if the loot is brought back using all legal channels.
In order to keep the country intact and put it back on track, the political leadership has to show some wisdom and think only what is in the best interest of the people of Pakistan. The gaps must be bridged to avoid disasters.
History has proof that the political differences between the two leaders culminated into the disintegration of Pakistan in 1971.
There is no doubt in my mind that building dams and roads is essential for economic development, but nation-building should be treated as priority before it’s too late.
For a stronger Pakistan, the federal government must address concerns of the smaller provinces by protecting their political and economic interests.
The foreign sponsored separatist insurgency in Balochistan has to be overcome for a smoother development.

A rapid development of Gwadar will give satisfaction to the local populace. The projected economic corridor must go ahead successfully till development in Gwadar is broadened.
Groundwork on the project has already begun, the federation of Pakistan must address any misconceptions surrounding it on priority basis. For Pakistan’s sustainable economic development needs, the politicians must refrain from helping the growth of negative hype around the Pak China project.
It’s imperative that the stakeholders are on single page to play their role in developing a national consensus for the economic corridor.

The Pakistani people are in need of a democracy that not only ensures fundamental rights and rule of law but also has inbuilt mechanisms where there is no such thing as defiance.
“With faith, discipline and selfless devotion to duty, there is nothing worthwhile that you cannot achieve.” (Jinnah)

Journalism in North America

Journalism in North America
In the past, journalism used to be of sensational nature, however, that eventually developed into more literate and responsible organs.
Actually, the news papers gradually continued to be becoming larger and larger, whereby, advertising became more lucrative as a source of income. As the publishers and editors knew that the readers wanted current news based on facts, there came editorial independence giving new stature to the news function as well.
In modern time, newspapers are ready to be printed in one city and are simultaneously generated in other cities.
The Canadian example of mainstream media includes the Globe and Mail and the National Post (Toronto) among others; they are locally published/printed and they transmit all information verbatim by verbatim and line by line to printing plants in major cities across the country. Similarly, New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal among others are active in the U.S.
The global newspapers of today include the “print editions” as well as the “online editions,” so do the North American daily newspapers, pod casts, interaction, multi-media, video, partnerships with broadcast, news databases, and email newsletter etc.
Like other countries, newspaper law covering matters of libel, contempt of court and copyright, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms were passed as part of the Canadian constitution in 1981; all this guarantees "freedom of thought, belief, opinion, expression, and freedom of media to all people.
Nevertheless, Canadian newspapers continue to face challenges and competition in their role as bearers of news in the information technology age. Despite the challenges, newspapers excellently keep up with performing the job of giving the people what they want to know with clarity.
In other words, there is a commitment of Canada's newspapers to operate in the public interest. A newspaper is a vital source of information and is a private business enterprise that serves the community with responsibility.
Freedom of Press is essential to the democratic society; it’s based on Canadian's right to freedom of expression available with guarantee through the Canadian “Charter of Rights and Freedoms.” It includes the right to collect and publicize information. It’s the “free press” that enables readers to use their Charter rights to receive information and make informed judgments on the current issues.
It means that the newspaper's primary obligation is trustworthiness towards the public good.
Gathering the truthful information for making part of news is expensive but is the only available option to utilize the credible sources with precision and accuracy.
Care must be taken when there is conflict of interest; it can’t be left undeclared.
Furthermore, the newspaper is obliged to protect its independence from the private and public sectors.
Ethically and legally speaking, only accurate and unbiased reporting is acceptable: Obviously, the newspaper keeps faith with readers by presenting only correct and up to date information.
All errors/mistakes should be reported and highlighted to maintain the trust of readers/audience.
The community newspapers are said to be of sound practice if there is clear distinction in news reporting along with expressions of opinion, and materials produced for and by the advertisers. Therefore, the altered images, if any, must be reported because people have right to know.
Other challenges: Community religious leaders including various associations tend to keep the newspaper editors and owners under pressure; they are interested in the coverage the way they want regardless of the consequences. In fact, controversial ads make the news paper editors/owners bend backward while looking for a way out. And no one seems to realize the free newspaper only can continue in business through putting ads in the paper in order to generate revenue.
No matter what, newspaper remains responsible to its readers, its shareholders, its employees and its advertisers, of course.
True, a newspaper plays a variety of roles for the civil society but building community opinion is the most important one. Despite the odds, editors strive hard to paint a representative picture of its diverse communities in order to encourage the expression of disparate views. At the same time, it has to be accessible and accountable to the readers of all kinds and levels.
Under all eventualities, respect is of paramount importance: The newspaper should strive to treat the people it covers with courtesy and fairness.
Modern Journalism faces a tough re-adjustment phase in response to the ongoing social, cultural and technological changes. Like it or not, journalists are beginning to leverage on social media to gather stories and are using news aggregators and subscribing to RSS feeds and blogs to assist them in their work. This means the challenged media continue to undergo drastic adjustment scenarios.
Furthermore, the publishers of weekly or bi weekly news papers. are people of courage, integrity, and tenacity as they stand against authority, community evils, national evils, international issues, and they take strong positions too in some cases.
Meanwhile, news managers and editors are concerned for Face book and Twitter as these sources are used for newsgathering especially during breaking news stories. But, there is some hesitancy in using social media ground to distribute content for fear of losing control of the information. No one can deny the possibility that social media seems to be changing things; it will surely bring about transparency, accountability and a broader range of voices and viewpoints.
The current tide of change is likely to bring about pressures on the need for more skills, and ability to respond quickly. This translates into compromised quality to ascertain the authenticity and verification of facts which can invite a serious handicap jeopardizing the flow of truthful information.
Surely, a journalist will soon have to have a good sense of whereabouts of the potential audience. They will have to figure out how to reach that audience whether they are online, in print, broadcast, mobile or social media platforms.
Hopefully, social media will not be allowed to damage the value of journalistic credibility. At the end of the day, we see journalism is still alive however merely adapting.


sources:
http://comjig.blogspot.ca/.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journalism_school
http://www.newspaperscanada.ca/Connecting-to-Canadians-with-Community-Newspapers

National Interests Come First

Most of the countries are in competition with one another as they want to accelerate and protect their economic progression to gain an improved standard of living for their populace. Similarly, both India and Pakistan are interested in the eradication of poverty so that living conditions of their peoples get improved significantly. In doing so, they have to compete with each other in securing an influential position in the comity of nations.

India has strived hard to reach a point where business and infrastructure growth is being aligned to propel the nation to “a position of world power.” And, there is absolutely no doubt that with a true visionary leader like Modi, India is all set to be heading towards the right direction.

Furthermore, nationalistic spirit is at all time high in India, people are getting wealthier, and businesses keep on booming throughout the country. That’s why, the whole world wants to do business with India, because the market is highly lucrative there.

Both President Obama and P.M. Modi have jointly demonstrated a “political will” to significantly elevate the U.S.-India relationship.

Indeed, the 2015 January 25 Joint Statement builds on the September 30 Joint Statement of 2014 which presents an exhaustive and comprehensive vision for mutual future cooperation and collaboration between the two economic powers. India is likely to enjoy the U.S. assistance ranging from high tech & space to defence, climate change, and energy.

Nevertheless, with the U.S. tilt towards the arch rival India, the Pak-U.S. mindset of understanding seems to be somewhat fading away. Obviously, there are no more fake smiles. Most probably, Islamabad is in a “wake up mode” after having been frustrated due to the U.S. foreign policy of favouring India's bid for permanent membership in the UN Security Council.

Apparently, Pakistan has been denied what India is getting in the form of specific exemption to join the Nuclear Supply Group. This would allow India to import American civil nuclear technology.

According to media sources, Islamabad has warned that the US policy would compound the already “fragile” strategic stability atmosphere, and there could be detrimental impact on the peace in South Asia.

What is it that has convinced the U.S. to go ahead with preferential treatment favouring India and ignoring its long term ally Pakistan?

Reasons are following among others:

(A) The country’s “image building” matters a lot. And, India has succeeded in uplifting/projecting its image through its foreign service and its people working in the West. While, Pakistan usually falls short of sending smarter personnel and ambassadors abroad who could diligently handle matters to promote national cause.

(B) Indian media has always been very active in portraying Pakistan as terrorist state. Now with the help of some elements in Pakistani media, their job is getting easier.

(C) Also, Pakistan doesn’t even have a foreign minister yet - so what can you expect from the paralysed government other than embarrassment? In Pakistan, almost eighty percent of people are illiterate who have no clue whatsoever of national interests, however, everyone is bickering about the unsatisfied personal interests.

Thought provoking:

When President Obama was in India, Pak army Chief General Raheel Sharif dashed to China which described its friendship with Islamabad as irreplaceable in a changing geo-strategic environment in south Asia.

Pakistani leadership is in shock as the U.S.-Pak traditional alliance is set to face gradual erosion ahead. For much of its history, Pakistan has been an ally of the U.S., while Russia had stronger ties with India, even backing it during that country’s 1971 war with Pakistan.

It’s very frustrating that most of the Nato troops have left next-door Afghanistan – and the Pakistani army is straining to overcome Islamist militants on its western border – the concerned officials fear some unpleasant surprises may erupt as the United States of America’s regional interest is tilting toward India, Pakistan’s eastern neighbour and arch-rival.

Analysts are of the opinion that Pakistan's strategic partnership with the U.S. is aimed at short term gains to fight off the ongoing militancy in the region. Therefore, Pakistan is skeptical about its alliance with the U.S. in so called war on terror. That is why, Islamabad is fast expanding its economic and geo-strategic partnership with China. Pakistan believes China as its time tested friend.

Lesson for Pakistan:

The people of Pakistan must be educated enough to elect a visionary leader and the right kind of government next time to eliminate the stinky status quo.

Pakistan needs a commercially oriented foreign policy on urgent basis.

All Ambassadors and their subordinate staff should have high negotiating skills so that they are able to sell Pakistan’s point of view while serving abroad.

Mineral and natural resources/reserves rich Pakistan is in need of regaining its lost self esteem; it needs to stop its addiction of being a donation receiving country.

Pakistanis must realise that no one is capable of solving their problems other than themselves.

The fact is a nuclear Pakistan is unacceptable to many who will do everything to neutralize it.

Despite Pakistan faces an excessive amount of terrorism, it is managing to have an annual growth rate in the neighbourhood of 4.5 percent significantly more than many European States. Pakistan has been surviving against the odds including anti Pakistan proxy war, hence is not a failed state. Actually, the term “failed state” only applies to countries like Greece, Spain and others that have received hundreds of billions of US dollars as rescue packages, yet no growth.

Most importantly, Pakistan leadership needs to understand that for attracting foreign investment along with enhanced trade, the ongoing state of political instability and militancy has to end, sooner the better.

Pakistani business elite including political leaders must show their sincerity to the nation by bringing back their capital from abroad to give an economic facelift to their own country. Indeed, it would be helping Pakistan to stay competitive internationally.

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SOURCES:

http://www.theguardian.com/

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/01/25/us-india-joint-statement-shared-effort-progress-all

www.dawn.com, www.thenews.com.pk, www.nation.com