Category Archives: Mix Plate

Killer drug suo motu: SC orders protesting doctors to get back to work

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ISLAMABAD: 

The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered protesting doctors at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) to resume their duties, while seeking a fresh report from the Punjab chief secretary into the ongoing conflict between PIC’s doctors and the provincial administration.

The court reminded protesting doctors that their boycott was undermining a fundamental right of patients, which is their right to live. Members of the Young Doctors Association continued protesting outside the PIC on Wednesday, demanding that senior doctors, who had been removed from their positions, be reinstated.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Shakirullah Jan, will resume the hearing on Friday, February 17 of a suo motu case on the deaths of patients from spurious medicines provided free of cost by the PIC.

The court also directed the province’s health secretary and advocate-general to appear before the court on Friday’s hearing. SC registrar Dr Faqir Hussain Khokar also asked Punjab Chief Secretary Nasir Khosa to submit details of the protesting doctors and why they had been suspended.

A January 30 court order said that the responsible authority must conduct a transparent inquiry according to the law, fix responsibility and propose action on matters that had arisen after the PIC medicine disaster. “All doctors/officers/manufacturers of the relevant drugs shall fully cooperate with the inquiry which shall be concluded expeditiously. However, no such doctor or a person required in such investigation or inquiry shall be arrested and any doctor arrested in this regard shall be released forthwith subject to his personal bonds to the satisfaction of the deputy registrar (judicial) of the Lahore High Court,” the order stated.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 17th, 2012.


Killer drug suo motu: SC orders protesting doctors to get back to work

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ISLAMABAD: 

The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered protesting doctors at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) to resume their duties, while seeking a fresh report from the Punjab chief secretary into the ongoing conflict between PIC’s doctors and the provincial administration.

The court reminded protesting doctors that their boycott was undermining a fundamental right of patients, which is their right to live. Members of the Young Doctors Association continued protesting outside the PIC on Wednesday, demanding that senior doctors, who had been removed from their positions, be reinstated.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Shakirullah Jan, will resume the hearing on Friday, February 17 of a suo motu case on the deaths of patients from spurious medicines provided free of cost by the PIC.

The court also directed the province’s health secretary and advocate-general to appear before the court on Friday’s hearing. SC registrar Dr Faqir Hussain Khokar also asked Punjab Chief Secretary Nasir Khosa to submit details of the protesting doctors and why they had been suspended.

A January 30 court order said that the responsible authority must conduct a transparent inquiry according to the law, fix responsibility and propose action on matters that had arisen after the PIC medicine disaster. “All doctors/officers/manufacturers of the relevant drugs shall fully cooperate with the inquiry which shall be concluded expeditiously. However, no such doctor or a person required in such investigation or inquiry shall be arrested and any doctor arrested in this regard shall be released forthwith subject to his personal bonds to the satisfaction of the deputy registrar (judicial) of the Lahore High Court,” the order stated.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 17th, 2012.


Memogate commission: Mansoor Ijaz submits 83-page statement

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ISLAMABAD: 

Mansoor Ijaz, the central character behind the Memogate scandal, on Thursday submitted an 83-page statement to the judicial commission through his counsel in Pakistan Advocate Akram Sheikh revealing details from the saga.

In his statement, Ijaz not only confirmed his meeting with Pasha in London on October 22 but also gave details of the interaction he had with President Asif Ali Zardari on May 5, 2009 at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel in Washington DC at the invitation of former ambassador Hussain Haqqani.

About his relationship with Haqqani, he mentioned that they maintained regular contact over the past decade through e-mail, BlackBerry messenger exchanges, and meetings in person.

Apart from his witness statement, Ijaz requested the commission for in-camera briefing for certain comments that he noted saying “because the disclosures are not appropriate for this statement that can be viewed by others”.

Giving a rationale for disclosing the memo in the press, he said he was forced to write the Financial Times op-ed piece because of the confusion created by the media. “The impetus for the article, which I drafted the first thoughts for on 24 September 2011, arose from testimony offered by Admiral Mullen in his final appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee in which he called the Haqqani network of terrorists a “veritable arm” of the ISI, among other very strong comments”, Ijaz explained in the statement.

Apart from Ijaz’s statement secretary to the memo commission Raja Jawad Abbas is due in UK to receive evidence and gadgets used in drafting the memo. Although Ijaz has submitted his witness statement to the commission, the defendant and other petitioners will cross examine Ijaz along with commission’s members on February 22 via video link.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 17th, 2012.


Memogate commission: Mansoor Ijaz submits 83-page statement

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ISLAMABAD: 

Mansoor Ijaz, the central character behind the Memogate scandal, on Thursday submitted an 83-page statement to the judicial commission through his counsel in Pakistan Advocate Akram Sheikh revealing details from the saga.

In his statement, Ijaz not only confirmed his meeting with Pasha in London on October 22 but also gave details of the interaction he had with President Asif Ali Zardari on May 5, 2009 at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel in Washington DC at the invitation of former ambassador Hussain Haqqani.

About his relationship with Haqqani, he mentioned that they maintained regular contact over the past decade through e-mail, BlackBerry messenger exchanges, and meetings in person.

Apart from his witness statement, Ijaz requested the commission for in-camera briefing for certain comments that he noted saying “because the disclosures are not appropriate for this statement that can be viewed by others”.

Giving a rationale for disclosing the memo in the press, he said he was forced to write the Financial Times op-ed piece because of the confusion created by the media. “The impetus for the article, which I drafted the first thoughts for on 24 September 2011, arose from testimony offered by Admiral Mullen in his final appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee in which he called the Haqqani network of terrorists a “veritable arm” of the ISI, among other very strong comments”, Ijaz explained in the statement.

Apart from Ijaz’s statement secretary to the memo commission Raja Jawad Abbas is due in UK to receive evidence and gadgets used in drafting the memo. Although Ijaz has submitted his witness statement to the commission, the defendant and other petitioners will cross examine Ijaz along with commission’s members on February 22 via video link.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 17th, 2012.


Rising extremism, not terrorism, a greater threat to country, says report

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ISLAMABAD: 

Religious extremism is a greater threat to the country than terrorism. This was the consensus at the launch of a report here on Thursday.

The report, titled “Extremism Watch: Mapping conflict trends in Pakistan 2010-2011” and prepared by Islamabad-based think tank Jinnah Institute (JI), records and examines the various extremist incidents that occurred over the past year, and the effects that these incidents have had on Pakistani society.

More than 180 extremist incidents killed over 500 people in Pakistan in 2011, which should be a wake-up call for policy makers who need to check the rising intolerance and extremist attitudes in the society, says the report.

“To eliminate extremism we need a certain measure of persuasion that our society does not seem ready for. Extremism cannot be eliminated by the force of a gun,” said senior journalist and columnist Fahad Hussain who moderated a panel discussion on the report at the launching ceremony.

He highlighted a chapter from the report that demonstrated political manoeuvring for the release of the banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi’s Malik Ishaq. Ishaq is accused of over 100 sectarian killings and his organisation was found involved in attack on Sri Lankan cricket team, beside multiple other terrorist activities.

The report records and examines various types of extremist incidents and their effects on Pakistani society.

JI Executive Director Ejaz Haider said, “Extremism is a greater menace in terms of a state’s ability to deal with it, rather than terrorism, and this fact enhances the importance of studying extremism in Pakistan.”

“Everyone has an equal right to life whether they are from the Ahmadiya, Christian or Hindu communities in this country,” said Haider. “We will ultimately be killing each other if the current mindset is allowed to grow unchecked,” he added.

There were 62 incidents of attacks on shrines in Pakistan during the review period, according to the report. Sixty-two people were killed in these attacks. Another 454 people were killed in 44 sectarian attacks in 2011.

These do not include another 53 attacks related to interfaith violence and blasphemy, or attacks on schools.

Dr Moeed Pirzada, a PTV host, stated that the incidence of extremism shows that the social fabric of Pakistan is disturbed. He said that though the worst may be over, policy prescriptions to deal with extremism are still necessary. “Reconciliation with India would help our society heal.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 17th, 2012.


Rising extremism, not terrorism, a greater threat to country, says report

Leave a reply

ISLAMABAD: 

Religious extremism is a greater threat to the country than terrorism. This was the consensus at the launch of a report here on Thursday.

The report, titled “Extremism Watch: Mapping conflict trends in Pakistan 2010-2011” and prepared by Islamabad-based think tank Jinnah Institute (JI), records and examines the various extremist incidents that occurred over the past year, and the effects that these incidents have had on Pakistani society.

More than 180 extremist incidents killed over 500 people in Pakistan in 2011, which should be a wake-up call for policy makers who need to check the rising intolerance and extremist attitudes in the society, says the report.

“To eliminate extremism we need a certain measure of persuasion that our society does not seem ready for. Extremism cannot be eliminated by the force of a gun,” said senior journalist and columnist Fahad Hussain who moderated a panel discussion on the report at the launching ceremony.

He highlighted a chapter from the report that demonstrated political manoeuvring for the release of the banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi’s Malik Ishaq. Ishaq is accused of over 100 sectarian killings and his organisation was found involved in attack on Sri Lankan cricket team, beside multiple other terrorist activities.

The report records and examines various types of extremist incidents and their effects on Pakistani society.

JI Executive Director Ejaz Haider said, “Extremism is a greater menace in terms of a state’s ability to deal with it, rather than terrorism, and this fact enhances the importance of studying extremism in Pakistan.”

“Everyone has an equal right to life whether they are from the Ahmadiya, Christian or Hindu communities in this country,” said Haider. “We will ultimately be killing each other if the current mindset is allowed to grow unchecked,” he added.

There were 62 incidents of attacks on shrines in Pakistan during the review period, according to the report. Sixty-two people were killed in these attacks. Another 454 people were killed in 44 sectarian attacks in 2011.

These do not include another 53 attacks related to interfaith violence and blasphemy, or attacks on schools.

Dr Moeed Pirzada, a PTV host, stated that the incidence of extremism shows that the social fabric of Pakistan is disturbed. He said that though the worst may be over, policy prescriptions to deal with extremism are still necessary. “Reconciliation with India would help our society heal.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 17th, 2012.


Sindh floods: 2.5 million people without food, water and shelter

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ISLAMABAD: 

Six months after the devastating floods hit Sindh and parts of Balochistan, millions are still struggling to survive, according to a coalition of agencies monitoring the situation.

Representatives of national and international agencies came together to discuss the existing and upcoming challenges for Pakistan’s flood-hit communities.

With the monsoons fast approaching and a slow response from international donors, agencies fear that severe needs will remain unmet.

“Millions will find it hard to get through the next few months,” said Oxfam Country Director Neva Khan. An estimated 2.5 million are still living without basic necessities including food, water, shelter and sanitation.

The United Nations (UN) launched the Floods 2011 Rapid Response Plan on September 18, seeking $ 357 million but less than 50% funds have been raised. Though some donors, notably the European Commission and the United States have responded generously, the response from others has been “disappointing”.

Agriculture and food insecurity

April farming season is likely to be missed by most farmers this year, unless immediate action is taken to rehabilitate the fields and redistribute seeds and tools required for farming.

Agencies warn that the next disaster may be just a few months away and are calling on the government to intensify efforts to limit the impact of future disasters. One in four farmers missed the November-December planting season either because help was not received in time or their land was still submerged.

Agencies fear that the rising malnutrition rates caused by the floods, which were already above the emergency threshold before the floods, will continue to increase if immediate action is not taken. “The floods have exposed and deepened a food crisis in Sindh that has resulted in malnutrition rates far worse than the Sub-Saharan Africa,” said Save the Children Country Director David Wright.

Security

“Even though we have experience in working in insecure areas, we really have to strengthen our systems and dial it up to revamp our procedures and ensure that workers stay safe,” Wright said. Khan added that staff security remains the number one priority.

The agencies called on the humanitarian community to continue providing assistance so that flood-affected families not only meet their basic needs, but rebuild their lives. They also called on the Pakistan government to boost its efforts for seeking avenues to limit the impact of future disasters.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 17th, 2012.