A sign of  hope

Anum Durrani

Recently I visited a well-known market where I was glad to notice the reduced prices especially that of kids wear and sale put up by many leading brands bringing the prices down by 25-50% making it easy for parents to buy clothes at least for their young ones. This is the first ever-remarkable sale during this profitable season. This is no doubt, a sign of hope for people already depressed by the inflation and shortage of food items. If such efforts are made by other sectors also, may be we can observe more happy faces this Eid.—Karachi

Rising Nanga Parbat

Dr Shahina Tariq

A joint activity of earth science researchers from Italy and Pakistan is focusing on monitoring of the rapidly rising Nanga Parbat and Haramosh Massif within Pakistani part of the Himalayan mountain chain. The research is supplemented by installation of several permanent GPS stations across the Indus River in the Chilas area to also monitor the rise of the mountains adjoining the Basha-Diamer Dam site. This research project is sponsored by the Italian Government in cooperation with the Bahria University, Islamabad under the banner of the Ev-K2-CNR Committee and is led by Professor Giorgio Poretti of the University of Trieste, Italy and Dr. Shahina Tariq of Bahria University. Other cooperating partners in this programme include Pakistan Academy of Geological Sciences, Karakorum International University Gilgit, Azad Jammu and Kashmir University Muzzafarabad and WAPDA.

The Nanga Parbat - Haramosh Massif is the highest range of Pakistani Himalayas and is reputed for one of the highest rates of mountain rising which has been analyzed by several scientists, among them also the renowned Professor Ardito Desio. The mountain rise has resulted in human sufferings in the area due to numerous earthquakes and countless landslides. South of Nanga Parbat – Haramosh Massif, the Basha-Diamer concrete dam is being built with an upstream lake of large dimensions. It is necessary, therefore, to monitor the whole area. The Pak-Italian research programme proposes to determine the movements of the plates of the Nanga Parbat - Haramosh Massif with a highly accurate GPS network combined with necessary topographic measurements.

Besides its scientific value, the proposed research project has several applied elements. On the basis of its results, it will be possible to propose a monitoring system for the Dam itself when it will be built. The project will help in developing strategies for stabilization of the slopes through determination of the relative vertical and horizontal movements of sliding planes of geologic layers facing the Indus on its two banks. It will also assist in consequent computation of the hydro-geologic risk along the course of the River Indus and at the site of the proposed Dam. The acquisition and collection of information concerning the hydro-geologic and seismic risk will be incorporated in a database so as to provide a reference point for regional planning and engineering works.—Via email

Nuclear safety concerns

Saman Malik

Foreign media continues to express doubts about security and safety of Pakistan’s nuclear material. Fears, whether naïve or malafide, are expressed that terrorists may steal such material to fabricate a ‘dirty bomb’. Professor Shaun Gregory and Arnaud de Borchgrave have claimed that there have already been three attacks on Pakistan’s nuclear facilities: one on nuclear-missile-storage facility at Sargodha on November 1, 2007, the second on Pakistan’s Nuclear Air Base at Kamra on December 10, 2007, and the third on Wah Armament Complex on August 20, 2008 (CTC Sentinel, July 2009, Edition, Vol 2, Issue 7). The story was orchestrated in pro-Israel Canadian newspaper National Post (July 18, 2009), the Times of India (August 11, 2009), and aired on Indian channel ‘Times Now’ (August 11, 2009).

The truth is that the attack in Sargodha was on PAF staff bus, and the one at Kamra was on a school-children’s bus. The Wah attack was on laborers of the factory. For one thing, the factory does not produce nuclear armaments. Earlier Frederick W. Kagan and Michael O’Hanlon, also, had predicted that extremists would take over, if rule of law collapses in Pakistan (The New York Times, dated November 18, 2007). He has hinted that the USA has contingency plans to seize Pakistan’s nuclear material and stash in some ‘safe’ place like New Mexico. Pakistan is a party to the UN Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials. The steps taken by Pakistan to protect its nuclear materials and installations conform to international standards (two-man rule, indigenously-developed permissive action, etc).The critics mysteriously fail to mention that nuclear controls in India and the USA are not more stringent than Pakistan’s. India communicated 25 cases of ‘stolen or missing’ uranium to the IAEA. Uranium in varying forms and quantities was recovered from ‘thieves’ by Indian authorities. Nine computers, belonging to India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation establishment at Metcalfe House, New Delhi, were stolen.

There have been nuclear lapses even in the USA. A US Air Force bomber flew with live warheads, equivalent to 10 Hiroshima A-bombs, over US air space for several hours. The mistake remained un-noticed for 36 hours (“Missteps in the bunker,” The Washington Post, September 23, 2007). Several security breaches occurred at the US Los Alamos National Laboratory, the birthplace of the atom bomb. The lapses include: (a) Misplacement of classified computer disks, transmission of information through insecure e-mails, loss or theft of two SIGMA-14 Nuclear Emergency Search Team data (b) Unauthorised copying of complete source code by Dr Wen Ho Lee. (c) Leakage of SIGMA-IS information relating to de-activation of locks (d) Appointment of 35 drug addicts, including Ms Quintana, as scientists in the Lab. She had SIGMA 15 clearance and access to ‘all the US underground-nuclear-test data and a high-speed printer’. Police caught her and her boy friend, another drug addict, along with drugs and data stolen from the lab. Will the international media look into the state of affairs at home before pointing their finger to other countries?—Via email

Referendum for name change

Sardar Abrar Rashid

It is indeed very unfortunate and unconstitutional on part of the President and some Federal Ministers to refer to NWFP as Pakhtunkhwa. Until and unless a constitutional change is brought, calling NWFP Pakhtunkhwa is unconstitutional and unlawful. Pakhtunkhwa is a name proposed for NWFP by the ANP which smacks of linguistic prejudice. Almost every soul living in NWFP wants its name changed but not to Pakhtunkhwa. Abbaseen and Khyber could be the best suitable and acceptable names.

If the ANP is adamant to rename NWFP as Pakhtunkhwa, it is better advised to hold a referendum in this regard and seek the will of the people. Renaming NWFP as Pakhtunkhwa with bullying tactics could turn out to be a disastrous decision and the peaceful region of Hazara could very well become a strife-ridden area.—Abbottabad

The war within

Zeeshan Faisal Khan

I happened to watch TV program of ISPR on September 6 in which tribute was paid to shaheeds of 1965 war in general and shaheeds of war on terror in particular. It was a very moving program which had the uniqueness in its expression and tone.

The human side of families of shaheeds and the emotional aura created had total taste of reality and truth. The shahadat has great value in our religion and every true Muslim has the desire to lay down his life for religion and for his country. On the other hand feeling of mothers and wives of shaheeds of missing them are equally visible and true. Every word that wife of captain Naveed shaheed uttered was injured, every word that mother of Major Abid spoke was filled with love of her son. The message that the mother of shaheed captain Meraj gave was universal. I am sure limited number amongst the audiences and TV watchers knew Pashto but every word of a mother was understood by the listeners. The resolve and commitment of all who came on stage was commendable. It makes us exceptionally proud of having such brave sons of soil as our guardians. Scars of brutality of terrorists may not fade so early but it gives me lot of good feeling that it is the pious blood of nation and its armed forces which will make Pakistan our homeland ever stronger. —Peshawar

Quetta

Muzaffarabad

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