UK’s Fleming Fund to provide financial assistance, new equipment to PL&DD labs

The PTI’s by-election losses make it seem there is no umpire regulating the game

The United Kingdom’s (UK) Fleming Fund has decided to provide financial assistance and new equipment to the Punjab Livestock and Dairy Development's (PL&DD) laboratories, Pakistan Today learnt on Wednesday.

According to details, the teams of Fleming Fund, which is a research and aid agency, met with Provincial Livestock Minister Sardar Hasnain Bahadur Dreshak and Livestock Secretary Capt (r) Saqib Zafar separately.

During the meetings, Fleming Fund Country Director Dr Ayesha Rashid, while briefing about the activities of the organisation in Pakistan, said that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an emerging challenge and it is very important to fight this at the national level.

She said that her organisation has been supporting the Pakistan government in the field of health and livestock since 2019, when joint research was initiated with the National Veterinary Laboratory, Poultry

Research Institute and Provincial Diagnostic Laboratory.

The Livestock secretary appreciated the surveillance carried out by the British agency in the first phase of the investigation against AMR.

However, the provincial minister said that research is of special importance in the development and promotion of livestock sector and the government is making serious efforts to finance it.

The minister thanked the Fleming Fund for funding infrastructure during research, welcomed the efforts of the organisation and reiterated the commitment of the PL&DD for full cooperation.

PL&DD Director Communications Asif Rafique said, “The Fleming Fund is an aid programme by UK's Department of Health and Social Care that seeks to gather and share AMR data. The organisation has been working in the health and livestock sector of Pakistan since 2019. It has identified two laboratories of the PL&DD for providing new equipment and financial assistance. There will be no cost to us on this whole project and the Fund will bear all the expenses itself.”

IT is for the first time in the checkered political history of Pakistan that a party in power is losing by-elections and yet being blamed for rigging. It clearly shows that the game is being played without an umpire, and no one seems to be in control. The situation in Sindh is clear, the PPP prevails, but in Punjab and now even KPK, the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) is losing its seats.

In the game of cricket, Imran Khan is known for introducing neutral umpires but that has not happened in the larger arena called the government. It now seems that the free and fair elections in 1970 were more of a fluke than a deliberate effort, but it did take place in the land of the pure. Since then there has been a slide down in every electoral contest. I have had the opportunity of interacting with all the provincial and the federal governments. While Azad Jammu and Kashmir stands out, Punjab is at the bottom when it comes to good governance and relief to the public. Chaos prevails in most departments, with no focus on the people.

Over the years the umpiring has been systematically weakened. There is no one to control the game. Despite being declared illegal aerial firing continues unabated. Roads, functions, celebrations, elections, no event can escape this menace. In the recently held elections in NA 75 constituency of Daska, automatic weapons were used for hours to scare away the voters despite high security alert. The Punjab Police was in charge, while the Rangers were there as a back-up.

Bullet and ballot cannot coexist. When the first shot was fired, the election should have been cancelled. The gunmen kept roaming the streets, shots were fired, two political workers lost their lives, while several were injured. Movies were being made as if film-making was the intent of the exercise. There was no one to stop the madness. The umpires had abandoned the game.

A few years back during a cricket test match at Lords, the Pakistan team in protest did not take the field after the tea break. Umpire Darrell hair of Australia, followed the rules of ICC (International Cricket Council). he waited for the stipulated time and then declared the match forfeited. The Pakistan team protested as they were close to victory. First it was declared abandoned by the ICC and then awarded to the english team. It was extreme high-handedness but never the less, Pakistan team was the net loser. Rules must be understood and then followed, otherwise the game suffers. There are several such examples, in one of the World Soccer game finals played between traditional rivals France and Italy, French captain Zinedine Zidane lost his cool and head butted the taunting Italian forward. Foul was called by the referee, as a result Zidane had to leave the field. Without him the side lost and the Italians became the world champions. In high-stake contests, personal emotions have to be kept in control in order to carry the day.

The elections in 1970 were free and fair as the umpires were neutral. When the brief democratic era ended in July 1977, both the players and the umpires were corrupted. Without an iota doubt, the establishment created parties like the PML(N) and the MQM, which were allowed to manipulate the electoral process to contain the genuine political support of Bhutto’s People’s Party ably led by his daughter Benazir. While the MQM badmashi (gangsterism) in Sindh has been contained, the PML(N) influence runs deep in Punjab. Unfortunately despite the passage of over two years the umpiring has not been restored. When there is a conflict, the umpires are the first to abandon the field as if working in connivance with the badmashes (goons). In the August 2014 Long March, followed by the PTI dharna, the marchers came under attack at Gujranwala, the stronghold of the PML(N)’s Gullu Butts. It was through the personal intervention of Javed hashmi that the march was allowed a safe passage otherwise it would have ended there. At that time, Nawaz Sharif was the Prime Minister and his younger brother the Chief Minister. even till today these unscrupulous elements have not been disarmed.

The police force in Punjab should be either reformed or declared a corporate entity called ‘Police Incorporated’ as it is no longer a custodian of the people. Most other departments are infested with political hirees whose loyalty is not to the state. Interestingly while the area of Governor’s house Lahore is around 700 Acres, so is that of Jati Umra. My friend Chaudhry Sarwar accepts applications and complaints to be forwarded to the respective departments with no ultimate outcome, but by contrast, the Sharifs issue verbal orders on the spot, which are still carried out. When Maryam Safdar was called by NAB (National Accountability Bureau) for a hearing, she did not come with papers to defend her case, instead party workers were armed with appropriately sized stones to intimidate the Bureau, and since then there has been complete silence in the case. When her entourage departed from the Jati Umra estate, there was no one to stop or check the lethal load they were carrying.

There has been significant improvement in the record-burning infernos. either most public record has already been destroyed or the security has been enhanced. The firefighters of the city must be relaxed as they are not called upon to put out fires to cover up evidence of the wrongdoings of the last 40 years. As an institution, only the Armed Forces remain intact which has now come under attack by their own political creations. Most civilian institutions have to be rebuilt to restore the writ of the state.

First umpires have to take the field followed by the neutral ones which now have become a rare entity. The message should be loud and clear, the umpires will be taken to task if the rules of the games are not followed. For the game to continue let us focus on effective umpiring instead of arming the players with lethal automatic weapons. For the game to continue, it is time to replace the Gullu Butts with Aleem Dars, a much better sample of our Kashmiri population.

“And when all the wars are over, a butterfly will still be beautiful.” ― Ruskin Bond, Scenes from a Writer’s Life

WhAT’S more beautiful than the innocence of childhood? Laced with dreams of wonderland and stories of utopian fantasy, it is a time in life laden with perfection and prettiness of the creative little minds. everything seems beautiful in the haven of childhood innocence– far away from the brutal realities of life. But this innocence of the children of Kashmir is being snatched at a tender age by the tyrant atrocious cycle of violence whipping the Kashmiris in Indian-Occupied Kashmir, for the last seven decades.

Children who grow in active conflict zone like Indian-Occupied Kashmir are deprived of a normal childhood as they are shoved into the harsh realities of life too soon. As they open their eyes, they are exposed to violence and become aware of the struggle of the Kashmiris for their freedom. There are countless tales of the sufferings of these children. It’s unfathomable to fully comprehend the horror these children experience every day. every trip to the market comes with uncertainty whether all family members will be back safe and sound. Their homes are barged into by the occupation forces and they witness their elders, fathers and brothers being dragged, beaten, arrested and women of the house disrespected. Going out on the streets, they are unsure of what quandaries await them. Young boys can be questioned and beaten for no reason at all. Young girls can be harassed and be subjected to inappropriate behaviour.

Last year, a viral photo of a toddler posed on the slain body of his grandfather shocked the world. Shooting an elderly man in front of a three-year-old wasn’t enough; adding insult to the injury, he was made to sit on dead body of his grandfather as the photos were taken and shared. The photo was received with anger and disgust around the world. That child will grow up but would be traumatized for the rest of his life and that viral photo on the internet will haunt him incessantly.

The human rights violations by the Indian forces include use of pellet guns. Thousands have been critically injured and dozens killed by this noxious weapon. hundreds, including children, are blinded. Some even got injured at home by stray pellets. Dozens losing their lives and hundreds losing their sight, Amnesty International compiled a 109-page book displaying the ill-fated victims of pellet guns to draw the attention of the international community. Asrar Ahmed, an avid student and zealous cricketer, was returning home from playing cricket when he was hit as the ISF opened fire at a crowd. hiba Jan, only 18 months old,was playing at home when hit by a pellet damaging her eye. This happens every day and children become victim of violence.

Violence is not new for Kashmiris. Striving hard, enduring brutalities, they have lost thousands of precious lives. The number of children enduring physical injuries and traumas are in the thousands. In August 2019 New Delhi revoked the special status of Indian-Occupied Kashmr, ripping off whatever little autonomous identity Kashmiris had. Indian PM Narendra Modi’s oppressive action instigated a strong reaction. As a result, the Valley was caged in a lockdown and curfew was imposed converting Indian-Occupied Kashmr into a prison. To contain the repercussion, the road connectivity was broken, the Internet jammed and all media and news agencies barred from the Valley. During the lockdown, a fact-finding commission stated, around 13,000 boys were picked up from their homes. Girls and women were reported sexually molested during these raids.

Amid the lockdown, covid-19 hit badly. The lockdown of one and half years, where the Kashmiris suffered isolation and disconnection, has affected the economy, society and mental health. The shortage of basic necessities and means to buy bread ominously condensed. Schools are closed since the onslaught of curfew. Partially curfew has been lifted in certain areas, but parents are reluctant to send their kids to school in the time of uncertainty as violent street clashes are frequent.

During the pandemic, the world adapted to the new normal and schools all around the world switched to online studies and virtual school. Continuing education amid the pandemic was essential not only to retain children’s engagement with their curriculum but also to keep kids occupied in depressive environment taking care of their mental health as online studies warranted them to develop routine and exert capabilities in constructive and learning activities.

When the pandemic hit, it was already six months in lockdown. The UN declared access to the Internet a basic human right. Blocking the Internet to suppress the freedom of speech is a declaration of human rights violation by the Indian government.

The right of education is also denied to the children living in Indian-Occupied Kashmr as the Internet hasn’t yet been restored. In a few places, broadband services have opened but the speed is kept so sluggish that the student can neither engage in online classes, nor can access any study materials online. J&K region has more than 2.5 million students and around 10,000 schools.

Recently, a report compiled by a Delhibased group of human rights activists and psychiatrists published in November 2020 cites that the commotion which began in the August lockdowns had an intense effect on children’s lives and their mental health. Quoting health professionals’ assessments that anxiety, panic attacks, suicidal tendencies, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress were growing among children: “There is no school, no routine or structure, no healthy recreation, and no sense of safety or predictability, which are essential for normal growth and emotional development.” A research conducted in 2006 found high levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a group of 100 children ranging between the ages of 3 and 16. A 2016 study by the Institute of Mental health and Neuroscience and ActionAid projected that more than one in 10 people, including adults, had a mental disorder, ranging from anxiety or depression to PTSD.

Many children suffer anxiety and panic. They cannot go out to playgrounds anymore as it is perilous. They do not have friends any longer as they do not go to school or mingle freely with other children in the neighbourhood. They are having their childhood snatched. even if the educators or schools attempt to produce online content, it is impossible to access online. As the world moves forward stepping into pioneering interactive virtual platforms, Kashmiri children are left behind.

The entire conception of childhood has suffered a methodical transfiguration in the lives of children in Indian-Occupied Kashmr. From these children the right for a normal happy childhood has been cruelly taken away.

They do not enjoy kindergarten or learn happy nursery rhymes while playing with toys. They are not nurtured under the adoring warm care of their parents in a setting where they sense freedom and safety. Relatively their memories of childhood are filled with horrors inconceivable entailing an environment fraught with fear, endless gory violence, insecurity and chaos.

They no longer have fantasy-filled imaginings of butterflies and pirates or big dreams for a buoyant tomorrow; they just dream of freedom, safety and the security of their loved ones by their side. The chalice of innocence of the children in Indian-Occupied Kashmr is contaminated with the poison of blood, violence, death and pain.

They do not enjoy kindergarten or learn happy nursery rhymes while playing with toys. They are not nurtured under the adoring warm care of their parents in a setting where they sense freedom and safety. Relatively their memories of childhood are filled with horrors inconceivable entailing an environment fraught with fear, endless gory violence, insecurity and chaos