Daily Times

The discussion in the European Parliament with regards to Pakistan was not positive, nor was it fair. The issue of the country’s blasphemy laws was brought up by Member of European Parliament (MEP) Charlie Weimars of Sweden, who has been linked to Islamophobic and racist organisations in the past. The concern over false allegations of blasphemy combined with the singular focus on Pakistan’s human rights issues hardly appears to be in good faith and taste. However, the fact that the EU resolution – calling for a review of trade ties, including our GSP+ status – passed overwhelmingly reflects a failure in Pakistan’s diplomatic outreach. While embarrassing, the situation is not as bad as it seems. The EU is mandated to review Pakistan’s human rights progress every two years under GSP+ anyway. Now is the time for the government to build better communication systems and engage in active lobbying in Europe to motivate them of our viewpoint.

Pakistan’s Human Rights Ministry has to do well in their preparations, to look at the real issues and genuine concerns shared by Pakistan and the entire Muslim world. Bad faith and contrived misgivings about false blasphemy allegations and the victimisation of minorities have no currency. It will be excellent if our Human Rights ministry and related bodies prove what is fact and what is fiction. Nevertheless, the overriding need is to strengthen interfaith harmony and keep an effective check on the alarming rise of blasphemy accusations that result in violence and the killing of innocent people. It is a matter that relates to regional and international peace. Fragile, handle with care.

While embarrassing, the situation is not as bad as it seems. The EU is mandated to review Pakistan’s human rights progress every two years under GSP+ anyway. Now is the time for the government to build better communication systems and engage in active lobbying in Europe to motivate them of our viewpoint

Eradicating poverty is an effort that the government, in partnership with the private sector, must bolster. Dolling out cash to people under various public and private initiatives may bring temporary relief. But the real objective should be to raise the living standards of the people and provide employment directly or indirectly. The traditional Islamic way of helping the poor was always to engage them in some sort of market-related activity. Thus, assisting them in setting up small businesses with the potential to grow is just the kind of sustainable development that is required. The character of a society is judged by how it treats the poor, the condemned, and the helpless.

Economic partnership between the public and private sector can deliver results with the help of the right policy and strategy. Road blocks can be removed if the government and citizenry are tuned into the same frequency. Cooperation is key to development and progress.

There is no substitute for effective performance and competence. Education and employability should be interrelated. The market has become oversaturated with graduates skilled in a variety of disciplines. We complain about unemployment, not realising that the actual process of teaching and learning has been put aside. Our perspective regarding unemployment will change from cause to effect, and some viable remedy can then be devised. Even if this means an overhaul of the entire education system to set things right.

Although, an educational reform agenda will be workable only if an integrated and comprehensive approach to societal issues is made part of the national syllabus as an instrument of change. Educational leadership can play an effective role towards this end with the dual purpose of safeguarding societal stability while prompting social and political transformation. Evaluation of education is biased against one’s social class, values and aspirations. Quality of education is therefore a relative rather than an absolute standard, which is determined by complex factors prevalent in the internal and external environment of educational institutions. Sociology of education suggests a complex frame of reference for study and analysis, including, the connection between educational systems and: human relations; the community; and the behaviour and personality of participants. After the family, educational institutions assume the role of socialisation of individuals, as part of distinct groups performing a variety of functions. However, instead of fulfilling this goal, education may end up altering society in unforeseen ways via the internalising of cultural norms, values and attitudes. It may be understood that a good general education does not always produce marketable skills. A narrowly focused vocational education may leave one ignorant of the cultural understanding needed for successful living. Hence, the specialist versus generalist debate has not ended. The relative merits of the two approaches are as well known, as are the relative preferences when it comes to recruitment for Civil Services, multinational organisations and local business.

Infrastructure should contribute to broad social goals, yet it may be effective only when efforts are narrowly focused. The choice of instruments and approaches must reflect sectoral needs and the capacity of implementing agencies.

The writer is former Director National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA) Government of Pakistan, a political analyst and public policy expert. He is the author of the book, Post 9/11 Pakistan and Existential Question for Pakistan