Insight on Kashmir

Environmentalists stress government to take comprehensive measures to solve environmental problems in Azad Jammu and Kashmir

By Mazhar Iqbal Mazhar

The environmentalists have demanded comprehensive measures from the government to solve the growing environmental problems in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. They have also emphasized the need to spread awareness on a large scale with the collaboration of the public and civil society.

The environmentalists including academics, social activists and concerned citizens were speaking in a virtual dialogue on Sunday, August 7. The event was organized by Press for Peace Foundation to discuss environmental issues in two cities Kotli and Mirpur.

Mazhar Iqbal Mazhar (Writer/ Event Host)

Environmental experts Prof. Dr. Siddique Awan, Dr. Faraz Akram, social activists Aqeel Butt, Shamaila Khan, Director Press for Peace Foundation Prof. Zafar Iqbal, , former DG EPA Raja Razzaque, were notable among the speakers. The virtual event was hosted by Mazhar Iqbal Mazhar from London.

The environmentalists stressed that the local administration should take strict actions on issues of the destruction of forests, the absence of a modern solid waste system, and the indifference to the water pollution in Mangala Lake.

The speakers noted with concern that the government was failing to fulfill its responsibilities regarding a healthy and clean environment.

They also lamented people’s indifferent attitude towards the cleanliness of streets in residential and commercial areas in both cities and their surroundings. It was stressed during the discussion that the political and social leadership, public representatives, and educated people should come forward to point the public behavior towards the environment in the right direction.

There is a need for education and awareness on a large scale to awaken people in this regard.
Prof. Dr. Siddique Awan, a world-renowned researcher, and botanist said that the fish species in Mangala Lake are fast decreasing.

He emphasized with research data that unchecked fishing has played havoc in the last ten years as various diseases are increasing due to water pollution in the lakes. Unfriendly fishing contracts have been awarded which require a check and balance. People and civil society should go ahead and play their role to solve environmental problems.
Aqeel Butt, a social leader and businessman from the city of Luton, United Kingdom, said that the problems of the environment are very serious in his hometown Kotli due to the chaotic traffic, heaps of garbage, and inactivity of the institutions.

The general attitude of people towards the environment is pessimistic. The people’s attitude towards the cleanliness and environment is heartless as they routinely pick up the garbage from their house and throw it in the street.

In the pattern of developed countries, the government and the people should work together to develop a waste management system to dispose of waste on a scientific basis. Pollution problems cannot be controlled without the active role of the community and civil society.

The environment departments of municipal bodies in both cities need to be revamped. If there is an increase in the awareness level among the people, then the problems will hopefully be solved.

Environmentalist Dr. Faraz Akram said that 4000 incidents of forest fires were reported in Pakistan last year, of which 1500 incidents were related to Kotli.

The timber mafia first cuts down the pine tree and then systematically set the forest on fire, not only erasing the evidence of the crime but also destroying the environment.

Kotli forests are the habitat of endangered wildlife but due to the hostile attitude of the people against these animals, we are losing a national wealth. Despite the actions taken by the local wildlife department against the illegal activities along the Poonch River and Gulpur Dam, fish are being hunted. The efficiency of the state institutions in this regard is questionable.
Shamaila Khan, a social worker of Hajira (Poonch district), said in the light of her observations during the work done with various social institutions, that a large amount of garbage is thrown into the drains from Hajira town and surrounding villages.

The garbage then moves further down the Poonch river and other national water bodies. She said that an initiative by a non-governmental organization to stop the local population from this environmentally unfriendly activity has also failed due to the non-cooperation of the local community.

She said that there is a need to introduce the model of systematic disposal of solid waste at the community level in Azad Kashmir under the auspices of the government.
Mazhar Iqbal Mazhar, the head of the environment department of Press for Peace Foundation, said with reference to various reports of international organizations that the richest people in the world are playing a greater role in spreading pollution.

He said that solving the environmental problem is not the responsibility of the government only. The public and civil societies have to play their role in dealing with major environmental challenges.

Former DG EPA Azad Jammu and Kashmir Raja Razzaque said that the temperature of the Mirpur region has increased due to Mangala rising. Urban garbage including hospital and industrial waste from Kotli and Mirpur is flowing into Mangala Lake, causing fatal effects on aquatic life. Also, stone crushing is a major problem which is having harmful effects on the local environment and population.

Pakistan can avoid going down the path of economic meltdown

By M.I.Mazhar

Pakistan can avoid going down the path of the economic meltdown of Sri Lanka. The country will need to get out of the political instability as early as possible, the analysts have warned.

Pakistan’s currency has been plummeting against the US dollar and the delay in the release of a crucial $1.17 billion installment from the International Monetary Fund to Islamabad has also added to the existing economic crisis.

Bloomberg which is a leader in providing market data from around the world through its branded analytical tools and various platforms has recently published a list of those countries that are most at risk of default in 2022.
Unfortunately, Pakistan is also included in this list. The title of the said report itself tells the stories of the failures of economically weak countries and their poor economies.
The list is based on four indicators namely government bond yields of any country, credit default risk situation, interest payment ratio to GDP ratio, and government debt to GDP ratio.
According to the latest research, with a 15 % interest rate, Pakistan’s government bond yield has recently been calculated as performing at the lowest levels.

20 years

13.594%

+2.6 bp

+165.1 bp

7.81

-0.51 %

-25.41 %

28 Jul

Pakistan’s state bond performance

which means that this bond is in a more dangerous situation than before.

A country’s government bond yields start to cause trouble for its central bank when it has to readjust interest rates abnormally to protect its currency.

We have also seen how the Pakistani currency has nosedived in recent weeks.

According to economic analysts, former prime minister Imran Khan’s government ignored the complexities of financial issues. The previous Pakistan government gave unlimited powers to the State Bank to play havoc with interest rates.
If the PML-N government is calling the aggressive decisions of Imran Khan’s government the root cause of Pakistan’s economic problems, then there may be a lot of truth in it.
Because Pakistan’s economic problems, like many other economies around the world, were further aggravated by the pandemic and the war situation in Ukraine.
Some analysts are comparing Pakistan with Sri Lanka. Before making a comparative assessment of Sri Lanka and Pakistan, we have to examine the objective economic conditions of both countries.
One of the major reasons for Sri Lanka’s complete economic and political collapse has been attributed to its financial sovereignty being caught in China’s ‘debt trap’.
To some extent, this revelation should be an eye-opener for Pakistan, because China certainly has its share in the economic crisis that Pakistan is heading towards.
It is worth noting that Pakistan in the Imran Khan era had started thinking of aggressive economic policies in the context of its traditional friendship with China.
This strategic economic policy change was linked to the change slogan of Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2018.
The capitalist and tax-based financial systems and institutions in the Western World were skeptical that Imran Khan’s tenure as prime minister would complicate the repayment of international debt.
During his tenure, the political arrogance of the PTI government was on one side, while the economic woes of the country were rising on the other side.
As a result of Pakistan’s economic urgency, the former government was forced to establish contacts with Beijing to seek assistance.
Many major economic analysts have been analyzing the economic situation of Pakistan and comparing it with the major crisis in Sri Lanka.
Like Sri Lanka, Pakistan is facing problems of a most expensive external debt, high inflation, an increase in unemployment, and a shortage of food and medicine.
For most governments in Pakistan, economic and political deterioration is a legacy problem.
However, the present political leadership of the country is showing appalling negligence in ignoring these issues.
The recent political mess created by PML-N after the results of the Punjab by-elections was a self-destructive exercise. The country does not afford instability at this critical juncture.
Imran Khan’s PTI party has won the by-elections leading to widespread speculation in the media that this could be the political resurrection of Imran Khan and his possible return as Prime Minister of Pakistan.
Imran Khan’s big wins in Punjab have come from seats where PTI’s defected member had earlier been disqualified.
Therefore, it can be said that PTI has retained its already strong constituencies. So the PTI has nothing to show that it has expanded its political base.
PTI’s foreign policy was badly muddled by both Imran Khan’s own predictions about China and the controversial statements of his far-sighted Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
While both of them put Pakistan firmly in China’s orbit and Pakistan was starting to look ahead with the fascinating concepts of the Islamic bloc comprising Pakistan, Turkey, Malaysia, etc.
In fact, Pakistan was geopolitically aligning itself with countries that were clearly hostile to the US controlling the global financial institutions.
There was a clear indication that the US did not trust Pakistan during Imran Khan’s regime.
This was realized by Pakistan when Saudi Arabia showed its changed side by putting a soft corner for PM Imran Khan aside.
When he went to Jeddah with a bail-out request, the powerful bloc of Arab monarchies led by Saudi Arabia urged him to clearly express his political and economic policy towards Saudia’s rival countries.
As soon as the features of the policy were revealed, the creditor countries led by the United States began to tighten their grip.
On the other hand, Pakistan was also struggling to get out of the sanctions of the FATF.
It is a universally acknowledged reality that if the countries providing the most expensive loans do not have access to the economic policies of the countries receiving the loans, the creditors will not offer a soft ground.
Keeping in view the internal political dynamics of Pakistan the results of the recent by-elections are alarming for many creditors.
They can see that the political mood is in the favour of the return of Imran Khan to the center.
This clearly means that the political access of the bloc of creditor countries and especially the United States to Pakistan may be in jeopardy.
Currently, international organizations are trying to estimate the minimum time it would take for Pakistan’s economy to recover under the current political conditions.
If we look at the overall political mood of the country, it may be even more difficult to predict the timespan for economic recovery after the return of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Pakistan can avoid going down the path of economic and political disintegration of Sri Lanka. The country will need to ensure political stability in the shortest possible time.

The writer can be contacted via Twitter @MIMazhar.

Kashmir Policy Research Institute holds talk on State Laws vs. Social Responsibility

A talk was held here in Muzaffarabad organized by the Kashmir Institute of Policy Research.

Masood Ur Rehman, Commissioner Muzaffarabad discussed the concept of social responsibility against the state laws.

He said that the laws are made for the protection of the rights of people and there is a social contract between the people and society.

Lawlessness leads to anarchy and it is not in the interest of any citizen. He further said that only societies and states exist where the rule of law prevails.

It is necessary for all of us to respect the law and follow it. In Pakistan and Azad Kashmir, we express our opinion freely.

Every law is made for the betterment of the people. Laws are made to facilitate people, protect people’s freedoms, fulfill their needs and provide for and protect their rights.

It is the rule of law that is made according to the universal principles of law-making. A law based on malice cannot operate.

The purpose of making a law is to establish the authority of the state and the law is for the people of the state.

Only laws are valid and are made under the principles of law, justice, and equity. The government is within the state and the government makes laws through the assembly, the judiciary interprets these laws and the administration implements these laws.

These are the three basic pillars of government on which the edifice of the state stands. He said that the establishment of the Kashmir Policy Research Institute is a commendable initiative.

And for the first time in Azad Kashmir, a stable institution of this type has been created at the government level, which is on the path to development.

A one-month internship program for university students is the best effort and for the first time in Azad Kashmir, such an internship program is being organized by an organization.

A commentary on Bloomberg’s default risk list

Dr. Atiq-ur-Rehman

Bloomberg has published a list titled as “Countries with Highest Risk of Default in 2022. This list is based on four indicators: Government Bond Yield, Credit Default Risk Swap, Interest Payment to GDP ratio, and Government Debt to GDP ratio.

This list places Pakistan at number 4 with respect to the default probability. This short article discusses three important questions related to this list.

First – who is responsible for such a bad ranking of the country in this list, second – is it a true reflection of the true probability of default, and third – what are the implications of the release of this list!

With regard to the first question, as I have mentioned above, the list is based on four indicators, and the State Bank of Pakistan is solely responsible for the bad position of the country in this list.

The first indicator is government bond yield which is the interest rate on investment in government debt instruments.

The interest rate on government securities is directly related to the policy rate decided by the Monetary Policy Committee of the State Bank of Pakistan.

They have sole authority in deciding the interest rate and there is no institution having a legitimate position to interfere in the decision of interest rate.

For example, from March-May 2020, the SBP reduced the policy rate from 13.25% to 7% and there was no institution to protest such a huge reduction in the interest rate despite the fact that the inflation at the time was higher than the policy rate.

During the last few months, the SBP has increased the policy rate from 7% to 15% without any demand for an increase from the banking sector or any other stakeholder.

The decision of policy rate and associated government bond yield is the sole discretion of SBP with no interference from any other institution or authority.

The question arises as to what are the parameters on which SBP’s decision about policy rate is based.

I have discussed this in a number of newspapers and academic articles. It is clearly visible in the monetary policy statements as well, that the interest rate is increased with the aim to control inflation. SBP thinks that if they increase the interest rate, inflation will go down.

Therefore, they jacked up the policy rate from 7% to 15%. Here, the fault of the SBP is that the SBP is having Absolutely No evaluation report on the effectiveness of the monetary policy. There are very large costs associated with the policy rate.

In the budget for the current financial year, 3.49 trillion have been reserved for the interest payment on domestic debt, making it the single largest consumption head in the budget.

Besides the actual payments and resultant bad rank in government bond yield, this allocation is giving a very bad rank to the country in the indicator ‘interest to GDP ratio’.

If there are so heavy costs of a policy decision, there must be an evaluation report on the effectiveness of the decision.

Once I challenged the Head of the Monetary Policy Department of the SBP in a public forum to present any evaluation report if it exists, and my respectable colleague was unable to reply.

The high policy rate is not only responsible for high government bond yield, it is also responsible for the high interest to GDP ratio.

During the last two years of the PTI government, the government frequently claimed that they had a surplus primary budget, which means the income exceeds the expenditure if we exclude the mark-up payments.

Despite this, the government borrowed very extensively and this borrowing was only to finance the interest on existing debts.

I mean to say the debt accumulation during the last two years of the PTI government is only a result of interest payments which were a result of the choice of the policy rate.

Therefore, the answer to our first question is, that the State Bank of Pakistan is solely responsible for the bad rank of the country in the default risk list. The second associated question is: is it a true reflection of the default risk?

The answer is no! Although the methodology used for the calculation of this list is not explained in the publicly available blogs, the indicators included in this calculation are based on domestic accounts only.

The actual default risk comes from the balance of external accounts. For example, the default of Sri Lanka as a result of the crisis of external payments.

Without having indicators related to external accounts, the list cannot reflect the actual probabilities of default. The third associated question is: what are the implications of this list?

Although the list is not a true reflection of the probability of default, this gives a very bad message about the economic environment.

Nobody goes into the details of the methodology used in the compilation of this list, it would be taken as a reliable list since it is coming from Bloomberg.

The investor will take it as a negative signal and it would be very less probable for the investor to invest in a country having the fourth highest probability of default.

—The writer is Director, Kashmir Institute of Economics, Azad Jammu, and Kashmir University.

Environmentalists call for necessary legislation & administrative measures to deal with deforestation and industrial pollution in AJ&K

By Mazhar Iqbal Mazhar

Environmentalists, on Sunday 17 July 2022, called for necessary legislation & administrative measures to deal with deforestation and industrial pollution in AJ&K.

They observed that the loss of precious human lives and damage to forests could have been avoided if trained personnel had been appointed instead of daily laborers in the forest department of district Bhimber.

According to a recent BBC report, the forests in the southern district of Azad Jammu & Kashmir(AJ& K) had turned into piles of gunpowder due to the lack of rain for the past several months.
The dialogue was organized between environmentalists and residents on the topic of “Environmental Issues of Bhimber”.

The event was organized in connection with an environmental awareness campaign by the Press for Peace Foundation UK. The panel discussion was hosted by Mazhar Iqbal Mazhar.

The participants were Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ishtiaq (Mirpur), World Renewable Energy Expert Dr. Azhar Fakhruddin (Germany), Botanist Dr. Mehwish Maqbool (Bhimbar), Education and Social Development Expert Shah Shoaib Hashmi (UK). , environmentalists Dr. Siddique Awan and Dr. Basiruddin Qureshi, former DG Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and IUCN member Raja Razzaque and others were involved.

The participants of the talk agreed that forests are indispensable for human survival but they are being cut down ruthlessly, posing serious threats to humans and wildlife. Mass afforestation and public awareness are needed to reduce pollution hazards.

The participants strongly demanded that public committees be formed to protect forests from fire. Trained personnel should be deployed to deal with large-scale fires and safety equipment should be provided and zig-zag construction methods should be adopted to reduce the harmful effects of brick kilns and the government should provide loans to the kiln owners. Kiln owners should be obliged to plant trees in the affected areas to improve the environment.

Dr. Muhammad Ishtiaq said that poor-quality coal is being used in brick kilns in Bhimbar, which is affecting the health of the workers and adjacent populations, crops, and forests. Government institutions, civil society, and people should work together to deal with environmental pollution. Government and factory owners should fulfill their responsibilities for the health and education of children and other workers working in factories. Trees should be planted around parks and roads. Green belts should be built near the factories. There is a need to build check dams on the rivers.
Education and community development expert Shah Shoaib Hashmi (UK) expressed regret over the absence of a garbage disposal system in Bhimbar and other cities and said that the local government and municipalities should dispose of garbage in a scientific manner. Institutions should start a modern system of recycling. Where is global funding for reforestation going? It needs to be questioned.

Agricultural lands and trees are being destroyed in the name of housing societies. But there is no one to ask them. Destruction of trees that give oxygen to human life in the greed of materialism is sad. Those who sawed a pine tree do not think that it takes three years for its seed to develop.

The government and the people should make joint efforts to protect the environment. In the northern regions of Pakistan, the efforts of non-governmental organizations have been successful in raising the awareness of the public for the protection of the environment, which needs to be spread throughout the country with the support of civil society.

Dr. Azhar Fakhruddin (Germany) said that the average temperature of Pakistan is higher than the rest of the world due to indiscriminate deforestation, population growth, environmental pollution, and other factors. Pakistan has been included in the top tier of countries affected by climate change and due to these changes, the temperature has gone up to 53 degrees. Pakistan is among the worst-ranked countries on the air pollution index.

During the last two months, more than half of the forest area in the Bhimber district was burnt to ashes. Six officials of the forest department were injured and two were martyred while fighting the forest fire. There is a question mark in this that the forest department was not aware of this accident. Stone crushing machines in Barnala and Bhimber are causing environmental pollution. The problem of the environment can be solved only by the government and the people together. He added that the forest staff should be provided with fire fighting training and necessary safety equipment. Town committees have to adopt a modern waste disposal system. There is a need to promote the use of eco-friendly materials instead of cement in the construction of houses.

Dr. Mehwish Maqbool said that climate change is a global problem. Man is harming the environment to fulfill his need. Plants and forests act as lungs for our earth and without forests, the existence of human life on earth is in danger. Due to human activities, the ecological balance of the region is deteriorating. The extent of training and awareness of university students. So far, he himself and the environmental department of the university are playing their part, but the problems are so serious that all the sectors of life have to work together under the auspices of the government.

Former DG EPA and IUCN member Raja Muhammad Razzaque, in his written proposals, said that the biggest challenge in the Bhimbar district is the unregulated operation of crushing plants that are wreaking havoc in the area, resulting in the extraction of gravel making the soil extremely uneven. is cut properly. Natural water flow channels have been blocked, resulting in shifting floodplains that are damaging old settlements. Unplanned urban settlements, conversion of fertile agricultural lands into housing sector/societies, deforestation, and loss are major problems.

The recent plantation drive under the billion tsunami was also blocked by the local population which did not yield the desired results. Tobacco threshing/processing factories have been set up in Barnala, causing environmental destruction and pollution. Such plants are banned in Punjab and KP, which is why they are moving to Azad Jammu and Kashmir as a safe haven for their illegal business. Wildlife in the Deva Watala National Park is under threat. The units of brick kilns though fewer are creating havoc for the environment and need to be converted to zigzag technology by the government. The government should help them by providing loans.

Prof. Dr. Muhammad Siddique Awan highlighted the importance of wildlife in the region. He expressed extreme concern over the possible extinction of wildlife in the Bhimber area. He said that the red jungle fowl is almost extinct. Why is the government not paying attention?
Dr. Basiruddin Qureshi supported Dr. Mehwish and said that the world is working on the promotion of forests to deal with climate change, while we are struggling to save the existing forests. Wildlife is also being forced to migrate from its natural habitat due to the anti-environmental actions of man.

Many species of plants, wildlife, and predators are migrating from the plains to the highlands due to unsafe human activities, which is seriously affecting the ecology of the entire region.
The host Mazhar Iqbal Mazhar told the participants that Press for Peace Foundation has been making all-out efforts at the grass root level to highlight the environmental issue in Azad Jammu and Kashmir for the past twenty-two years, which is supported by international and local organizations. Certified and recognized.
In the ongoing awareness campaign to highlight the environmental issues, the public and the conscious and powerful sections of the society have taken a keen interest, which shows that the efforts for positive change in society can be successful together. Publication of books and scholarly and research materials is also being organized under the auspices of the Press for Peace Foundation.
In this Press for Peace Foundation webinar, a large number of people gave useful suggestions to solve environmental problems in the region. Environmental activist Abid Hussain from Bhimbar said that a poor drainage system is the result of groundwater pollution.

A forest firefighter earns 500 rupees a day while the community of this area sleeps unaware. Being the region with the lowest employment rate despite the highest literacy rate, young people migrate to other countries. There is no waste disposal system. There is a dialysis center for the patients without any research into the cause of the disease. He also said that the mining activity is going on without any check and balance system. Environmental engineering is lacking with regard to stone crushing units. Soil erosion is increased. Factors like soil fertility, water harvesting structures, and water table are noteworthy.

The writer can be contacted via Twitter @MIMazhar or email at mazhar.iqbal@pressforpeace.org.uk

#forests #kilns #deforestation #environmentalissues

The West Bengal Urdu Academy celebrates 200 years of Urdu journalism

By Dr. Muzafar Naznain

A three days program was organized by West Bengal Urdu Academy to celebrate 200 years of Urdu journalism in India, commemorating the publication of Jam e Jahan Numa.

Kolkata is a great educational hub in India. It’s the pride of Kolkata that Urdu, English, Bengali, Hindi, Punjabi, and Persian language newspapers are published in this city of Joy.

The first Urdu-language newspaper “Jam e Jahan Numa” was first published on 27 March 1822.
No.2 Colotolla Street is in the heart of the bustling marketplace in Central Calcutta and is not very far from Lower Chitpore.

There is a narrow lane adjacent to Colotolla called Harin Bari Lane which is my birthplace.

It’s a coincidence that my birthplace and the place where the first Urdu newspaper was published were located in the vicinity and could be next door to each other.

NA shop that sells colorful plastic sheets happened to be the spot where the first Urdu newspaper of the world ” Jam e Jahan Numa” was published on March 27,1822.

The publisher was a Bengali, Harihar Dutta, and the editor was Munshi Sadasukhlal, a Punjabi.

The printer was William Hopkins, a British Sahib. Dutta was the son of Tarachand, a journalist and the co-founder of Sambad Kaumudi, a Bengali weekly newspaper that was published by Rammohun Roy in 1819. The purpose behind that publication was to actively campaign for the abolition of Sati.

Today not far from No 2 Colotolla Street is Tara Chand Dutta Street, a narrow lane off Rabindra Sarani ( the erstwhile Lower Chitpore Street).

Harihar’s name, however, is all but forgotten. All we know about him is that he was an employee of the East India Company and had a keen interest in journalism.

There were a series of seminars and meetings in Kolkata, Asansol, and Islampur (Uttar Dinajpur).

Definitely, we can say Calcutta( Now Kolkata) is the cradle of journalism in the Indian subcontinent.

The following journalists were felicitated for their remarkable contributions in the field of journalism over years.

Shri Pursun Gupta(Bengali), Shri Beshambar Mewar(Hindi), Shri Tamal Saha(English), Janab Md Wasimul Haque( editor “Akhbar e Mashriq, Kolkata), Janab Rasheed Makhdoomi(editor Kashmir Uzma), Janab Shahid Latif(editor Inquilab”), Janab Zahid Ali Khan(editor Siyasat), Janab S M Ashraf Fareed(editor, Qaumi Tanzeem), Janab Masoom MuradabadiJanab Pervez Hafiz.

The three days “Jashn e Jam e Jahan Numa” programs have been completed on 26th May 2022 with flying colors.

Brain enhancement through the concept of visualization

By Dr. Muzaffar Naznin /Kolkata

An abacus is also called a counting frame. It is a calculating tool that has been used since ancient times.

Around the world, the abacus has been used in pre-schools and elementary schools as an aid in teaching the numeral system and arithmetic.

Maths is an important subject. No one can deny it. It has been observed extensively that 70 percent of students drop Maths as a subject after the 10th grade.

The remaining 30 percent that opts for Maths successively are already proficient in it.

Abacus courses have been running in India and globally for the past 12 years. The best time to learn Abacus is from 5 years to 11 years.

There is a common notion among people that Abacus deals with attaining proficiency in calculation. It’s right but the actual benefit is the improvement of concentration and brain enhancement through the concept of visualization.

It has been proven one of the most effective methods for young learners to do mental maths.

It is a well-known quote that “Learning has no age bar”, but it comes to Abacus, it is not that accurate.

One can learn Abacus at any age, but in order to master the speed and mental calculation skills, it has to be started at a very young age(from 5 years to 11 years).

Though Abacus can be learned at any age, the obvious benefit is seen when a kid starts.

Benefits of Abacus

It improves concentrations.

Enhances visualization and imagination.

Memory strengthening is the most crucial benefit of the abacus.

Amplifies speed and accuracy.

Increases self-confidence.

Violating global conventions on the protection of endangered species

By Mazhar Iqbal Mazhar

Environmentalists commented in a virtual dialogue on Sunday (3 July 2022) that neglecting the necessary measures to protect endangered species of animals, plants, and birds is equal to violating global conventions.

They further said that the Haveli region of Pakistan administered Jammu and Kashmir is rich in natural resources and some endangered species of plants.

Environmentalists warned local communities that there could be a serious health crisis if garbage and sewage- the largest pollutants in the region, continue to be dumped in rivers and streams.

Strict measures and bylaws are needed to stop the brutal and ruthless deforestation.

A dialogue between citizens and experts on environmental issues in district Bagh was organized in connection with the ongoing environmental awareness campaign by Press for Peace Foundation- a UK-based campaigning organization.

Environmentalists Prof. Dr. Siddique Awan and Aftab Hussain Bukhari, Social Activist Major (retd) Mahmood Khan, Journalist Raja Tahir Gulzar, Citizen Journalist Waleed Yaseen and other speakers addressed a virtual audience.

The participants of the dialogue agreed that the actions of government agencies in dealing with threats to the environment are disappointing.

The criminal silence of the environmental protection agency (EPA) of the region and other government agencies to curb the spread of stone crushing machines in Bagh and Arja is regrettable.

Social leader and freelance columnist Major (retd) Mahmood Khan said that due to brutal deforestation, the region is losing its precious asset. He said that the timber mafia is destroying the forests.

“If it continues, we will have nothing left. When the government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir was formed in 1947-48, the forest cover was 32 percent. That proportion is now 16 percent.”

He further said that forest laws need to be amended and highlighted the need to increase coordination between civil society and forest officials.

The stone crushing machines provide employment to the local people but employment cannot be provided at the cost of public health.

He warned that stone crushers in Bagh and Arja pose a threat to the health of the citizens. The EPA and other agencies need to strictly adhere to the relevant regulations in this regard.

Journalist Raja Tahir Gulzar said that there was a crisis of drinking water and sewerage in the Bagh district as the local population was dumping garbage and sewage water in the drains.

He lamented that despite spending Rs 1.5 billion on post-earthquake reconstruction, the people of Bagh were deprived of clean water and a modern sewerage system.

The recycling system could not be activated. Stressing the need for a mass awareness effort, he said that people need to be made aware of the use of filtered water.

While giving an example of incompetence and negligence of government agencies regarding health and the environment, he said that a dead monkey was found in the water supply system in Bagh city.

The concerned official closed the inquiry without finding the reason behind such incidents.

Prof. Dr. Siddique Awan, who is an eminent environmentalist and Chairman of the Department of Zoology at Azad Jammu and Kashmir University also spoke at this occasion.

He told the participants that unhealthy and contaminated food has increased the number of deadly diseases in the region, such as appendicitis, kidney disease, hepatitis, and heart attack.

He commented that such diseases are deeply related to artificial fertilizers, water pollution, and unnatural construction methods because the requirements of the environment are being ignored in modern construction.

Growing populations and poor planning pose a serious threat to forests and wildlife.

“We need to encourage organic farming and follow the eco-friendly principles of agriculture and construction that the older generation has followed,” he said.

Chairperson Himalayan Rural Support Program Aftab Hussain Bukhari said that the Haveli region is rich in natural resources in terms of wildlife.

Neglecting the necessary measures to protect wildlife and forests is tantamount to violating global conventions on environmental protection.

He said that the use of household and community filters needs to be encouraged in order to make the use of clean water common among the people.

The Textbook Board should make necessary changes in the curriculum as per the environmental requirements so that the message of environmental protection can be passed on to the new generation.

He said that for the protection of forests and the environment, there is a need for comprehensive and inter-institutional partnership and coordinated thinking among all departments to promote sustainable development.

In this regard, there is a need to adopt the model of developed countries for environmental protection.

The government should provide the necessary opportunities and resources to benefit from the knowledge and experience of environmental experts in public sector universities.

Waleed Yaseen, coordinator of the Press for Peace Foundation and a social activist, said the biggest problem in district Bagh was garbage.

Instead of dumping garbage near wells, streams, and other drinking water sources, modern recycling methods need to be adopted.

The use of contaminated water from drains is spreading diseases. Due to improper care of forests and emission of toxic gases, forests are vanishing and the area is drying up.

The region could soon become barren if environmental issues are not addressed under an integrated policy.

The speakers unanimously applauded Press for Peace Foundation’s public awareness campaign and stressed the organizers to expand it to other cities as well.

The writer is an author, educationist, and environmentalist. He can be contacted by emailing at mazhar.iqbal@pressforpeace.org.uk

The Hydropower to Empower the Poor: an example from Azad Jammu & Kashmir-(II)

By M.I.Mazhar

720MW Karot Hydropower Project

Karot Hydropower Project (KHP), the first hydroelectricity project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), is a $1.7 billion venture.

Karot hydropower station, the first along CPEC, put into commercial operation in Pakistan

Karot Power Company (Pvt) Limited (KPCL) was formed on 31 July 2010.

The company acts as a special purpose vehicle (SPV) and is responsible for executing 720MW Karot Hydropower Project. The ground-breaking was held on January 10, 2016, whereas the construction of the project commenced on 1st December 2016.

With an installed capacity of 7,200 megawatts, it can provide over three billion kilowatt-hours of clean energy each year, supplying electricity to about five million people in the country.

The Layout of the Karot Hydropower Project

As a single power generation task hydropower complex, the project’s structure layout includes a rock fill dam, spillway, powerhouse, diversion tunnels, and headrace tunnels.

Location:

The Karot Hydropower Project is located on the Jhelum River near Karot Village 74 km upstream of Mangla Dam.

The Project site is accessible through Islamabad-Kahuta-Kotli Road approximately 29 kilometers from Kahuta village and 80 kilometers from Islamabad.

Location of the Karot Hydropower Project

Karot Hydropower project is located in an area that is administratively under the control of the governments of the province of Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Figure 6- Aerial View of the construction site of the Karot Hydropower Project

Financiers

The investment for this project has come from the private sector. The Karot hydropower project is part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

The project is jointly funded by the International Finance Corporation, China’s Silk Road Fund, Export-Import Bank of China, and China Development Bank.

The main sponsor of the Karot hydropower Project is China Three Gorges South Asia Investment Limited (CSIAL), which is an investment arm of China Three Gorges Corporation (CTG) in South Asia.

The CTG Corporation is a state-owned initiative with $18.3 billion in the capital. The corporation is strategically positioned to become a clean energy conglomerate specializing in large-scaled hydropower plant development and operations.

Advisors

Mott MacDonald is a UK-based consultancy firm and was appointed as the lenders’ technical, environmental and social advisor.^[i] The consultancy firm provided technical support and strategic analysis to the project’s financiers.

They also reviewed the scheme’s design, change orders and variations, and disbursement applications.

The consultancy also assisted with the implementation of environmental and social management plans of the Karot Hydropower Project and advised on compliance with relevant standards and regulatory requirements.

The road distance from Islamabad to Karot Hydropower Dam

Mott MacDonald was also responsible to offer construction monitoring services covering technical, environmental, and social matters.

Mott MacDonald is the technical, environmental, and social advisor of the lenders of the Karot Hydropower Project

The civil works and E & M works were handed over to two separate contractors. The Engineering and Construction Contract was given to the Three Gorges Economy Development Company (TGDC). Whereas, the Equipment Supply Contract was with China Machinery & Electric Company (CMEC).

Aerial View of the site of the Hydropower dam

Health & Safety

From a health and safety point of view, the KPCL achieved remarkable goals including the least number of causalities in the entire hydropower construction sector of Pakistan.

Despite huge structures involving high-risk activities, the project reported no fatal accidents. The project fully complied with the health and safety requirements, environmental and social laws and regulations of Pakistan, CTG’s, CTGI’s HSSE standards, IFC Performance Standards, and good international industry practices.

The Karot Hydropower Project is structurally an asphalt core rock-fill dam of 95.5 m in height.

The powerhouse has an average annual electricity output of 3,206 million kWh, and annual utilization hours of 4,452h.^[iii]

It includes a surface powerhouse, four headrace tunnels, diversion tunnels, a spillway, reservoir storage of 164.50 million cubic meters, and an approximately 5km long 500kV transmission interconnection to the national grid.

The dam site controls the drainage area of 26,700km2; having a long-term average runoff of 819m3/s and a long-term average annual runoff of 25.83 billion m3.

The project is a single power generation task hydropower complex, with a reservoir’s Full Water Level (FWL) of 461m, and reservoir storage at FWL of 152 million m3.

The cement used for the construction was produced locally. They tried very hard to control temperature rise, and reduce cracks in the concrete.

The project was built in the private sector under a Build-Own-Operate Transfer (BOOT) basis with an expected concession period of approximately 35 years, which includes the construction period of 5 years and the operation period of 30 years.

Karot Hydropower Project will play a key role in helping address the shortfall in generation capacity by creating a long-term, sustainable power supply.

Karot Power Company Limited will run and maintain the project for 30 years at a tariff of 7.57 cents per unit. At that juncture, it will be transferred to the Punjab government at a notional price of Rs1.00. So the consumers in Pakistan will get cheaper electricity from this eco-friendly project.

The contractors of the Karot project ensured that maximum employment opportunities were offered to local people.

On average, the Karot project hired more than 3300 Pakistani workers.

Out of the total Pakistani workers, 57% were hired from project districts i.e. Rawalpindi in Punjab, Kotli, and Sudhnoti in AJ&K.

This was distributed as 42% from Pakistan and 58% from AJ&K. However, during the month of September 2019 (peak activity) the workforce at Karot was about 4000, and 62% was from project districts.

The labor statistics related to the adjacent areas of the Karot project are given below;

During the land acquisition process, KPCL paid an attractive amount to those families that were affected.

The company also gifted them new plots in nearby and considerably high-value areas. The KPCL also ran financial literacy program to equip the local people with financial acumen on utilization of the compensation amounts.

Additionally, many of them were also offered employment support in terms of preparing applications for the advertised vacancies in the project.

There is no doubt that the Karot Project brought prosperity to the people of the local area as well as people from far-off areas of Punjab and AJ&K.

KPCL also arranged skills training for affected community members at a technical training center in Kahuta.

References

[i] Mottmac.com. 2021. Karot hydropower project achieves financial close, Pakistan – Mott MacDonald. [online] Available at: <https://www.mottmac.com/releases/karot-hydropower-project-achieves-financial-close-pakistan> [Accessed 22 November 2021].

[ii] 2021. Asphalt core rock-fill dam [online] Available at: <https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/9/21/4618/htm> [Accessed 27 November 2021].

[iii] KPCL (2021) Karot Hydropower Project – Salient Features

Project Information, (available online)

http://www.karotpower.com/Projects/Salient-Features (accessed 19 November 2021)

[iv] British Hydro Association. 2021b. Hydro Facts- British Hydro Association. [online] Available at: <https://www.british-hydro.org/hydro-facts/> [Accessed 22 November 2021].

(To be continued)

About the author:

Mazhar Iqbal Mazhar is an educationist, author, and environmentalist. He can be reached at mazhar.iqbal@pressforpeace.org.uk