By: Muhtasim Afridi

For a huge period in the history of Pakistan agriculture has been the most common practice of landlords. In parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Balochistan and specifically Punjab,people are widely into farming and raising livestock – given the abundance of fertile land and the presence of freshwater rivers. That is perhaps the reason why Pakistan has remained an agrarian societysince its inception. However, there are problems with the traditional methods of crop productionand distribution, which undermines the agriculture sector, consequently, leading to food insecurity in Pakistan.

The population of the country is snowballing with each fleeting year. It currently stands at 241.5 million, increasing annually with an average of 2.55% since 2017 – according to the National Population and Housing Census 2023. The scientific community has continuously been warning states about the negative impacts of overpopulation. The disparity between population growth and production growth ultimately contributes to food insecurity. However, Pakistan seems oblivious to this issue – as pera report, the country stands 99th on the Global Hunger Index, which is a serious situationand will continue to be worse if not taken care of.

On top of that, floods remain a huge problem for farmersin Pakistan. Since its independence, the country has received 29 floods – and in the last decade, it has witnessed floods each year consecutively. The 2022 floods destroyed crops on a massive scale, hence resulting in food shortages all over the country. This ultimately led to all-time high prices of wheat, rice, fruits and vegetables – making it difficult for consumers to buy. Each time floods hit the country; the farmers demand subsidies from the government which is never a long-term solution. Instead, the construction of dams and widening of irrigation canals might help in overcoming this issue.

To meet the needs of the public, countries around the globe are on a quest to develop more efficient means which could accelerate the processes – particularly in the field of agriculture to double up the yield. Unfortunately, Pakistan is an oligarchic state – ruled and driven by the old people, where the decisions favourancient methods of agriculture. Hence, it lacks the touch of technology, ultimately affecting the outcome.Contrary to that, various states adopted innovative concepts such as precision agriculture technology, agroforestry, and vertical farming.

Similarly, Pakistan needs to keep up the pace in the race of technology. The failure to address food insecurity reveals the weakness of the government – one thing is for sure it cannot work in isolation from the private sector. The government can collaborate with educational institutions or private firms for research and development. There are 33 top organizations in Pakistan working on developing efficient means for agriculture. For instance, ‘Crop2x’is a private limited which provides IOT and AI services to increase crop yield.

Similarly, LUMS University provides research on technology to enterprises such as NestleandBayer. Regrettably, the government rarely welcome innovation, which is the reason for technical backwardness.
It sounds absurd to criticize the government alone, while not mentioning other stakeholders contributing to food insecurity. The role of middlemen, wholesalers, and retailers in the distribution process is central to the discussion. In most cases, these stakeholders, specifically the middlemen, exploit the pricesfor their interest, eventually making it hard for daily wagers to buy food at cheap and convenient prices. The lower and middle-class citizens are already struggling to survive the inflation storm, and with the additional misadventures of middlemen, their lives are further at stake.

The world has now transformed to a greater extent, it has become more connected than ever. The decision-makers must consider new methods to revitalize the agriculture sector, otherwise technological backwardness will take Pakistan on the back foot. Agriculture used to be one of Pakistan’s major sources of economic growth – given the large number of exports to other countries. However, the figure has decreased over the period. A recent report shows that Pakistan’s wheat productionis estimated at 29.69 million tons against the set target of 32.2 million tons for the Rabi season 2023-2024, which is a loss.

The irony is that wheat was once among Pakistan’s top exports, and now things are on the contrary – it imports from Russia and Ukraine.However, the government can still decrease the gap between population growth and food production with the adoption of precision agriculture technology. It will not only help in increasing the yield but also reduce waste and function more efficiently. The initial cost might be highbut dreams of becoming an Asian tiger come at a high cost.

In addition, since the government is battling with other problems, the fate of the poor and undernourished segments of society remains in question.There are various cases of suicides reported each year just because of non-availability or high prices of food. The state is a creation of people; therefore, the individuals must be the key priority of the state. A little investment by the government can transform the agriculture sector – consequently increasing economic activity and ensuring food security in the country. Furthermore, a hard check on middlemenin the distribution process would be a sigh of relief for the people. The government must get rid of these exploiters that have plagued Pakistan for decades.

The writer is an editorial intern at the Associated Press of Pakistan; he can be reached at: [email protected]

By Qamar Bashir

Pakistan’s Foreign Affairs promptly rejected the US Department of State’s 120-page “2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Pakistan” without acknowledging its comprehensive compilation process where the source of almost all necessary data rests in Pakistan. The compilation involves gathering data from embassy and consulate reports, local NGOs, media coverage, government agencies, international organizations, academic institutions, testimonies, diplomatic channels, official government reports, and open-source intelligence. The report aims to provide a thorough and accurate assessment of human rights conditions in Pakistan indicating a failure to address shortcomings.

Rather than addressing issues and implementing reforms, Pakistan tends to respond with generic statements disconnected from reality which is shortsighted, as baseless rejection only draws more attention to the report’s contents, prompting further scrutiny. Pakistan’s tendency to ignore issues and reject criticism perpetuates poor human rights practices rather than fostering improvement.

“There is nothing in the report that has not been discussed almost on a daily basis by our courts, political parties, civil society, and both traditional and social media. Our media and civil society, day in and day out, in their reports, comments, and analyses, discuss, refer to, and quote, rightly or wrongly, all those issues, matters, and incidents which were referred to in the report. These include unlawful or arbitrary detentions and  killings, including extrajudicial killings; enforced disappearances; torture; and cases of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by the government or non state actors.”

“They discuss harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; political prisoners; arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy; punishment of family members for alleged offenses by a relative; and serious abuses in conflict, including reportedly unlawful civilian deaths and enforced disappearances.

The elite journalists and opposition political parties have raised concerns about significant restrictions on freedom of expression and media freedom. These include violence against journalists, unjustified arrests, and disappearances of journalists, as well as censorship and serious constraints on internet freedom. Additionally, there are substantial interferences with the freedom of peaceful assembly and association, including overly restrictive laws governing the operation of non-governmental organizations and civil society groups.

The media and civil society have been vocal about issues such as restrictions on religious freedom, coerced or forced returns of individuals to countries where they may face torture or persecution, government corruption, and government restrictions on both domestic and international human rights organizations. They have also highlighted extensive gender-based violence, including domestic or intimate partner violence, sexual violence, and child and early forced marriage.

Media reports also suggest physical abuse of criminal suspects in custody, leading to injuries or deaths. Besides, lengthy trial delays at both the commencement and conclusion of trials, along with the failure to adequately investigate, discipline, and prosecute those responsible for killings, have contributed to a culture of impunity.

Our media is full of reports that there is a significant increase in attacks against police and security forces. According to the independent think tank Center for Research and Security Studies, there were at least 386 reported deaths of police and military personnel in terrorist attacks and counterterror operations during the first three quarters of the year. The number of attacks and casualties were higher than in 2022 or 2021.

However, they may not realize that these commentaries and analyses are being recorded, compiled, and reported upon by human rights watchdogs around the world, including those in the US reflecting negatively on our human rights record.”

The impugned report comprehensively cataloged a multitude of incidents, events, and statements with detailed dates, names, and qualifications forming its foundation. Noteworthy examples include the killing of seven Shia Muslims, including four teachers, in Upper Kurram, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on May 4, apparently in retaliation for the earlier killing of a Sunni Muslim; a suicide bombing in Mastung, Balochistan, on September 29, which claimed the lives of at least 60 individuals during a religious procession; and an attack by Tehreek-e-Jihad on Pakistan Air Force Training Base M.M. Alam in Mianwali, Punjab, resulting in the deaths of nine militant attacks on November 4.

Ironically, instead of addressing these issues, there was a tendency to blame rating agencies for using inaccurate data, ignoring the fact that much of the data originates from within our own country, often from government sources.

During my tenure as Joint Secretary, I compiled a comprehensive report on all international ratings, rankings, and indexes, revealing a dismal picture of our nation’s neglect, lethargy, aimless governance, and widespread lawlessness. It underscored the multitude of challenges we faced, including multiple power centers, injustice, economic stagnation, and social degradation.

Surprisingly, the government at that time took my report seriously. It was shared with the Prime Minister and other key government figures, who instructed me to develop a robust plan of action to improve our international ratings and rankings. I diligently crafted such a plan, which was subsequently shared with the higher echelons of the government. The national security advisor was entrusted with leading the implementation of this plan, and I was tasked with briefing him on the report and the proposed strategy.

However, as fate would have it, the government was dissolved before any significant progress could be made. Sadly, this scenario mirrored the fate of similar plans throughout Pakistan’s history—promising initiatives often succumbing to the tide of political change, leaving crucial reforms languishing on the shelf.

It is imperative that reports by the US statement department and such other reports reflecting our national performance and responsibilities are thoroughly reviewed and referred to relevant committees of the National Assembly and Senate for in-depth analysis. These committees should scrutinize the reports meticulously, identifying any inaccuracies in the data and bringing them to the attention of the rating agencies for clarification or amendment.

Furthermore, these committees should establish robust collaboration with the focal persons of rating agencies in Pakistan, providing them with accurate and reliable data to ensure the integrity of subsequent reports. If the data and analysis in the report are found to be accurate, the committees should then formulate a comprehensive plan of action to address the shortcomings highlighted.

Rather than blaming the mirror, we must have the courage to acknowledge the reflections it presents and strive to ensure that what the mirror reflects is indeed a true representation of our nation’s beauty and charm. This approach fosters accountability and facilitates proactive measures to enhance our national performance and reputation.

By Qamar Bashir

Former Press Secretary to the President

Former Press Minister to the Embassy of Pakistan to France

Former MD, SRBC