Makli ‘renovation’

EditorialPublished January 17, 2021

THERE are fears that the recently conducted ( ‫‘ )انتظام‬renovation’ ( ‫)نیا پن‬
work carried out at the Makli necropolis ( ‫ )قدیم شہر کا گورستان‬may rob the
historical site of its World Heritage status. A report in this paper has cited the
concerns of archaeologists (‫ )آثار قدیمہ کا ماہر‬and conservationists (‫)تحفظ پسندوں‬
that the shoddy so-called renovation carried out on a number of old graves,
especially the magnificent mausoleum (‫ )شاندار مقبرے‬of Isa Khan Turkhan-II,
governor of Thatta from 1627 to 1644, may lead Unesco to remove Makli —
which, with its half a million graves, is considered to be one of the world’s
oldest burial grounds — from its list of World Heritage Sites. Experts believe
that the work — which should have been more an exercise in expert
preservation (‫ — )رکھوالی‬has disfigured (‫ )بد صورت کرنا‬the fine craftsmanship of
the tombs. Unfortunately, for a number of years, the necropolis has been left
at the mercy of the elements and thieves who sold tomb carvings (‫)سنگ تراشی‬
to make a quick profit. Unesco experts have been carrying out annual
inspections of the site, and for at least the past two years they have been
asking the authorities to carry out conservation work as per international
guidelines on some badly damaged tombs. The UN body has also repeatedly
َ ‫ ) فا‬work is not carried
warned Pakistan that if adequate conservation (‫ظت ح‬
out in Makli, the graveyard (‫)برستان َ ق‬
َ might lose its heritage status.

Tragically, the provincial government has an appalling record when it comes

to the preservation of historical sites in Sindh. For instance, experts have
complained ( ‫ )شکایت‬that the Sindh government’s efforts to conserve the
4,500-year-old city of Mohenjo Daro have only accelerated (‫ )تیز تر ہونا‬the
existing damage to its ancient brick structures. As if ignoring theft and
weather- and terrain-related damage to heritage sites were not enough, the
officials of the Sindh antiquities ( ‫ )نوادرات‬department have made matters
worse by hiring evidently incompetent people who have caused further harm
to invaluable historical assets (‫)تاریخی اثاثوں‬. The question is: do the authorities
intend to rectify (‫ )اصالح دینا‬the situation, or will they allow Sindh’s history to
crumble ( ‫ )ٹُکڑوں میں توڑنا‬into oblivion (‫ )گمنامی‬as they helplessly look on?

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2021

Foreign funding case

EditorialPublished January 17, 2021

THE Election Commission of Pakistan has summoned (‫ )بالنا‬both the PML-N

and PPP on Monday in connection with the foreign funding case. Both parties
have been issued notices to appear before the scrutiny (‫ )امتحان‬committee and
present their defence.

The appearance will take place a day before the previously scheduled
demonstration (‫ )ظاہرہ ُ م‬in front of the ECP offices by the Pakistan Democratic
Movement opposition alliance (‫) سمبندھ‬, which is aiming to highlight the delay
in concluding the foreign funding case against the ruling PTI. This case has
been dragging on for more than six years without reaching a final judgement.
The case pertains to allegations that the PTI has taken funds from dubious
(‫)مشکوک‬, prohibited (‫ )منع کرنا‬and illegal sources which, if proven, can lead to
severe consequences (‫ )نتیجہ‬for the party.
For its part, the PTI’s lawyers have launched multiple attempts over the years
to question the jurisdiction (‫)دائرہ اختیار‬
َ of the ECP over this matter. These
petitions have been dismissed at various platforms and the ECP has
maintained that it is fully within its jurisdiction to demand an explanation
from the PTI about its sources of funding. It has formed a scrutiny committee
to go over all the documents presented in order to reach a final conclusion.
The PTI has also challenged the source of funding for the PML-N and PPP
and their case is also in front of the ECP. The PDM is now demanding ( ‫محنت‬
‫ )طلب‬that the ECP bring the case against the PTI to a final conclusion.

At one point, the ECP had itself decided to fast-track the hearings but then
the pace slowed over the previous year and the scrutiny of evidence (‫)گواہی دینا‬
was kept pending with each successive hearing. Therefore, the demand to
complete the hearing and make a decision are justified. All parties have been
given ample time to argue their case. There is no reason the issue should be
dragged any further. As the ruling party, the PTI must display transparency
(‫ )شفافی‬in terms of proving the bona fides of its funding sources. If it has
nothing to hide, or has done nothing wrong as it claims, then it has no reason
to ask for more time or resort to delaying tactics ( ‫)حربوں‬. It should produce all
bank statements and account details as demanded by the ECP and
substantiate its claims that all its sources of funds are above board, fully
declared (‫ )ظہار کرنا ا‬and legal.

The ECP, for its part, needs to dispel the impression (‫ )نشان‬that it is allowing
for delays when there is hardly any need for it. One way for the ECP to speed
up the matter is not to give extended dates for hearings. It should order daily
hearings for all parties and decide the issue once and for all. The PML-N and
PPP also need to cough up all the evidence demanded by the ECP instead
(‫ )بجائے‬of politicising (‫ )سیاست کرنا‬the issue against the PTI. All parties must
come clean without further delay.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2021

Vaccine procurement
EditorialPublished January 17, 2021

ALL eyes are on the government as it pledges ( ‫ )اقرار کرنا‬to roll out the Covid-
19 vaccination programme to about 80m citizens by the first quarter of 2021.
On several occasions (‫)واقعہ‬, officials have said that Pakistan will kick off the
vaccine drive in phases in March and that the target population will be
inoculated (‫ )داخل کرنا‬by November this year. Given that the government is yet
to procure (‫ )حاصل کرنا‬the vaccine from the multiple manufacturers it is
engaged in discussions with, this is a challenging plan. At present, the
government is in talks with multiple entities, including Chinese
pharmaceutical companies Sinopharm and CanSino, whose vaccines have
been under trial in Pakistan. Yesterday, an announcement from Drap
indicated that the Oxford vaccine AstraZeneca, too, has been approved for
procurement (‫)حصول‬. Aside from these, Pakistan is also eligible (‫)اہلیت رکھنے واال‬
to receive free vaccines under the Covax programme which procures the
vaccine for less-developed countries with the goal of equitable distribution.
While these are promising signs, the big test ahead for the government still
looms (‫ )دور سے بڑا دیکھائی دینا‬as an official order has yet to be placed and
March is less than a month and a half away. Given the global demand for
vaccines, and the priorities of these pharma companies to supply to their own
countries first, the government’s pledge to start vaccinating the population in
the first quarter appears ambitious (‫)بلند نظر‬. Even if approvals have come,
orders are yet to be placed. Here, Pakistan’s low investment in the fields of
biotechnology and education is evident. It means that we, unlike India, will
not be able to manufacture (‫ )بنانا۔‬the vaccine, and will therefore not only
vaccinate our population later than others but also not generate any revenue
( ‫ )آمدنی‬during the exercise.

Beyond procurement and supply, the other major challenge ( ‫ )مقابلہ چاہنا‬for the
government will be effective distribution through an uninterrupted
programme. Logistics, effective communication and upholding (‫ )قائم رکھنا‬the
best medical practices will play a key part in a successful programme.
Disinformation and propaganda about the Covid-19 vaccination is at an all-
time high, as social media and private messaging groups are flooded with false
information and fear-mongering content (‫ )خوف زدہ کرنے والے مواد‬that can
dissuade (‫ )گروید کرنا‬people from taking the jab. As it makes efforts to bring the
vaccine to Pakistan, the government must also simultaneously have a roll-out
plan. Improved inter-provincial coordination (‫ ) ۔ مطابقت‬sans politics, too, will
play a pivotal role here as both the federal and provincial governments,
especially Sindh, should focus on the common goal despite ( ‫ )باوجود‬their
political differences.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2021