Confronting
a National Calamity
By Dr Shireen M. Mazari
There are so many developments
that one felt motivated enough to comment upon this
week, but the national calamity of the earthquake
that struck our country on October 8 put everything
in an altered perspective. The sheer scale of the
destruction has left such a sense of helplessness
in the face of this force of nature, that one compulsively
continues to watch the scenes of horror relayed
through the media in an effort to make the unbelievable
believable. That the innocent were the worst hit
makes it even more difficult to accept, and the
impact of the devastation and destruction has impacted
almost everyone across the country in one way or
another.
Of course any natural disaster leaves one with a
sense of tragic helplessness, but when it happens
to one's own, it has an altogether different dimension
of suffering and the loss of so many from amongst
us, makes one wonder how our nation will recover
from this tragedy.
But the scale of the disaster has also brought to
the fore the innate empathy and spirit of giving
that still pervades the nation. Of course, the help
from the international community has been a critical
input in the relief efforts, especially in terms
of provision of specialist relief help and some
of the private international donations, like the
one from a Chinese businessman in Hong Kong, have
been humbling, as has been the super human commitment
to rescue efforts by teams of British, Chinese,
Turkish, Iranian, French and many other nationals.
At moments like these, one can only show gratitude
for whatever help that the international community
gives -- since it is not incumbent upon anyone to
do so. And whatever the politics, this is not the
time to comment or take issue on that count -- even
if one is at a loss to understand why a national
tragedy should be seen as a means to improve relations
with India which have their own dynamics embedded
in some very real conflictual issues. In these tragic
times, all international help evokes a sense of
immense gratitude and strength.
Beyond this, what has really been absolutely heart
rending has been the response of our own nation
-- from all over the country. The response of civil
society has been the greatest source of strength
for this grieving nation and the manner in which
everyone has come forward not only with material
help, but also with offerings of their time and
professional skills for all manner of tasks has
been a binding force in this moment of trial for
the nation. Realizing the inadequacies and limitations
of state infrastructure and response times, volunteers
have organized their assistance through their own
means. In the immediate aftermath of the earthquake,
rescue efforts were initiated and sustained by local
people and volunteer professionals. The state's
response was slow even in Islamabad because of a
lack of capacity and also the non-existence of rapid
disaster response structures. But the people of
this nation have not been found wanting on any count.
From those who used their bare hands to try and
dig out survivors from the rubble of collapsed structures
to those who immediately organized teams of volunteer
doctors and aid packages to be sent to the disaster
sites, to the millions who gave whatever they could
to those who desperately sought some way or the
other to contribute, there has been a sense that
the nation can respond effectively to the needs
of its people with an unquestioning sense of commitment.
In terms of monetary and material contributions,
this nation has delivered.
So this is not the time for negativism, but the
massive humanitarian spirit of the majority of this
nation has also highlighted the meanness and profiteering
opportunism of a few who chose to up the price of
truck rentals and necessities like blankets and
the latha for coffins. And just as one was thankful
that there was no large scale looting in the immediate
aftermath of the earthquake, especially at the site
of the Margalla Towers in Islamabad, one heard reports
of the organized looting that did in fact take place
at this site.
And while no one could have prevented the earthquake
and its devastation, questions do arise about whether
we could have reduced the loss of human life even
by a small margin if proper rules had been enforced
in terms of building laws. This is not just with
reference to the collapse of Margalla Towers in
Islamabad, which was a most tragic reflection not
only of the CDA's inability or lack of desire to
enforce the rules that do exist on paper, but also
of the continuous changing of rules to accommodate
influential or monetary pressures. Not only had
the CDA changed its building rules in terms of the
percentage of built up area on a plot of land, it
continues to change laws allowing for ever more
built up areas on small plots also.
One hears that this time round someone will be held
responsible for what happened to Margalla Towers,
but we have to wait and see. After all, who was
eventually penalized for the avoidable tragedy of
Sozo Park in Lahore? But, the tragedy of lax rules
and accommodations made in terms of building standards
extends beyond Islamabad. After all, look at the
tragic collapse of buildings, especially schools
in the worst hit areas of the earthquake. Were there
even basic building rules being enforced here in
terms of public places like courts, schools and
universities? It is common practice to build schools
in villages and small towns with barely any foundations
at all. You just raise four walls and put on a roof.
Now we have lost an entire future generation as
a result. Will we now learn some lessons from this
nightmare? Will the faces of those dead children
haunt our consciences as we seek to flaunt regulations?
So far our record on this count is abysmal.
Once the immediate needs of the human tragedy have
been dealt with, there is a need to expose the criminals
within our nation whose actions lead directly to
death and destruction. Which brings us to the role
of the state and its response to this earthquake.
Given the limitations inherent in our state infrastructures
and resources, the state's response was quick to
take shape after the initial shock. But the people
in the outlying areas have had to face days without
state help. Could not food and blankets have been
airdropped more rapidly to the outlying areas? Also,
while the presence on the ground of the President
and Prime Minister are a source of comfort that
one has not been forgotten, ministers and other
state functionaries serve no purpose by constantly
using up state resources to tour disaster sites.
In fact, they often impede rescue work through the
time-consuming VIP routines. And they do add to
people's resentment and anger.
Our nation has indeed come through with a remarkable
spirit of humanism and Pakistanis have shown they
are indeed a fine people. Certainly, this is not
a time for negativism, but it should be a time for
serious introspection.
(The writer is director general of the Institute
of Strategic Studies in Islamabad. Courtesy The
News)
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