Month: March 2021

TANDOJAM:  For a poor family in rural areas a single goat has a great value as they are used to live sustainably in the difficult times. Herder families in disaster-prone Badin district are keeping two to three goats and can better describe the importance of these animals.

 

This was the main jist of the speakers at the closing ceremony of one- month training course for community livestock extension workers (CLEWs), jointly organized by Laar Humanitarian Development Programme (LHDP), Action Against Hunger (ACF) and Sindh Agriculture University (SAU) Tandojam, held at the university’s premises on Wednesday.

 

Besides CLEWs members, community herders, academia and development professionals participated in the event, aiming to extend helping hand to save livestock in Badin district, which is experiencing drought, sea intrusion, losing underground water and facing scarcity of irrigation water.

 

Badin district, being part of the country’s coastline, is various disasters, as the people receive frequent cyclone alerts and face drought-like situations.

 

The SAU Vice Chancellor Dr Fatah Mari, in his concluding remarks asked the community livestock extension workers to take responsibility and play effective role to save animals in their areas. He said the livestock farmers need help to cure their animals at the time when the sea has already ruined the fertile lands, destroying grazing fields and poor farmers wanted to save their assets because of diseases and viruses.

 

“We can reduce poverty together. We can extend help to improve livestock productivity so the people may live a decent life,” Mari said. He said there are indigenous breeds of animals, which can give more milk and meat. But there is a need to create awareness among farmers for the cause.

 

The VC said this skill is important for the CLEWs from remote areas and seem ready to offer voluntarily services.

 

He asked trainees that they can earn through this skill in the villages as farmers do not have access to veterinary centers there. He said the university, besides imparting education and producing professionals, is also working to strengthen coordination with the rural communities. He said they are working to promote agriculture and related livestock sector, as these sectors provide livelihood for the majority of rural people.

 

Senator Krishna Kumari lauded the role of CLEWs and SAU for strengthening coordination with the rural communities, offering opportunities to have source of living through such short-term courses. The Senator said livestock and agriculture are backbone of the rural economy, both needed support to end poverty.

 

Livestock is important asset for the poor farmers. In case of losses of animals due to disasters or natural calamities they cannot tolerate. She expressed the hope when these workers move back to their native areas they will help people to save their assets.

 

Iqbal Haider, executive director of LHDP urged the CLEWs to voluntarily offer support to the drought affected farmers after gaining training. Now you have got important tool and equipment and medicines including knowledge, which may help you diagnose veterinary diseases and provide medicines to farmers instantly.

 

He said goats are valuable assets for these poor families. He said majority of community women play a leading role to keep small animals for feeding their kids. They are skilled and ease their families through hand embroidery and other needle work.

 

Badin district reportedly possesses 2.8 million livestock population, both big and small animals, which provide source of livelihood to the rural families. The speakers pointed out that previously the population was more than it but due to frequent natural calamities the people have lost their assets.

 

Prof Muhammad Ismail Kumbhar of SAU expressed the hope that these workers may have capacity to launch their own veterinary clinics at their villages to earn income. Furthermore, the government’s livestock department need such trained people to help them in vaccination drives in seasons.

 

Zahoor Palijo, representative of Action Against Hunger (ACF) said these people have been given required tool kits for running veterinary clinics.

 

He also shared their interventions like drought resilient and saline agriculture in different area, which are helping farmers to use their land for productivity through this mode of cultivation.

 

He said there are some crop varieties, which can be cultivated in saline areas. Farmers must take initiatives to produce saline-resistant crops.

 

There was a 40-member group of CLEWs, who got training course in diagnosing and treatment of animals at the agriculture university by qualified experts. They demonstrated to provide support to drought-affected livestock farmers.

 

In the end these CLEWs got tool kits, which carry useful equipment and medicines free of cost. They will get further support to launch their own veterinary clinics in their areas.

 

 

ISLAMABAD:  Pakistan Navy Ship NASR paid goodwill visit to Mombasa Kenya as part of Overseas Deployment to African region. Upon arrival at port of Mombasa, PN Ship was received by High Commissioner of Pakistan to Kenya, Pakistan Defence Advisor and host naval officials.

 

During the ship stay at Mombasa, Mission Commander and Commanding Officer of PNS NASR called on Kenyan Principal Secretary for Defence, Deputy Governor Mombasa and Commander Kenyan Navy. During the interactions, matters of mutual interest and enhancement of bilateral cooperation were emphasized. Mission Commander conveyed sincere regards of Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi for the people of Kenya in general and Kenyan Navy in particular.

 

Mission Commander appraised the dignities on deteriorating situation and human rights violations being perpetrated by the Indian Armed forces against innocent people of Illegally Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). He highlighted the illegality of the Indian annexation of IIOJK and its disputed status as per the resolutions of the United Nations.

 

Earlier, during the deployment, Pakistan Navy Ship NASR encircled African continent and visited Djibouti, Sudan and Benin. During the visits, PN Ship gifted food aid as humanitarian gesture of solidarity and friendship for the people of these countries.

 

PNS NASR visit to African countries is in line with the Government of Pakistan Engage Africa policy that seeks to explore new avenues of cooperation, strengthening bilateral ties and developing interoperability with African countries.

KARACHI:  Pakistan performed poorly with regard to legal and practical protections for the right to freedom of expression of its citizens during 2020, says a new assessment study entitled “Pakistan Freedom of Expression Report 2020” launched by Media Matters for Democracy through a webinar on Wednesday.

 

Speaking at the report launch ceremony, European Union (EU) Ambassador to Pakistan Androulla Kaminara said, “Today’s report provides a comprehensive analysis of the state of freedom of expression in Pakistan and highlights some concerning trends. Freedom of expression is enshrined in the European Charter of Fundamental Rights. It is also one of the important aspects of Pakistan’s GSP+ commitment to uphold international Human Rights Conventions and a key priority in the Strategic Engagement Plan between EU and Pakistan.”

 

Ambassador Kaminara said, “As this report confirms the situation of journalists and documentation of threats they face through attacks, intimidation and harassment is particularly concerning. Disinformation is another area of concern, and one which the European Union is working to address both at home and abroad. Misleading or false information can put lives in danger. It is crucial to resolutely counter disinformation with transparent, timely and fact-based communication and thus reinforce the resilience of societies.”

 

Owais Aslam Ali said the professional solidarity among journalists against press curbs had weakened, which meant individual journalists had a little support when they face threats.

 

Asad Hashim said Pakistani journalists had remained vulnerable throughout the pandemic and now they were under increased risk of online attacks and were being subjected to cybercrime cases for their online expression.

 

Ms Farieha Aziz shared her opinion that the social media rules threaten the online freedom of expression. She said the rules should be withdrawn formally in order to have a meaningful conversation about the legal and constitutional status of the cybercrime law’s content blocking provision.

 

Ms Sadaf Khan said disinformation affects the public’s ability to access credible information and make informed decisions, so it is important to raise awareness among the masses about how to evaluate information critically.

 

The research study was prepared as part of the EU-supported Civil Society for Independent Media and Expression (CIME) initiative undertaken by the Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives and partner organizations Media Matters for Democracy, and the Pakistan Press Foundation.

 

The report documents the situation of freedom of expression in Pakistan with a new index based on six dimensions namely legal environment, press freedom, digital expression, pluralism, socioeconomic and political situation, and protection from threats to expression. The indicators for these dimensions were measured through a survey of a panel of experts from the fields of politics, media, academia, law, and human rights advocacy as well as statistics collected through desk research.

 

Pakistan scored low on all six dimensions to provide an overall score of only 30 points out of a total of 100 points on the assessment index. This cumulative score fell in the range of “poor” protections for freedom of expression in the country.

 

The report found that during the year 2020 Pakistan’s media and Internet regulatory authorities continued to exert arbitrary legal and regulatory restrictions on speech and online content, by ordering bans, suspensions, and advisories against social media apps, entertainment content, and news discussions of social and political issues.

 

Journalists remained vulnerable to physical, legal, and digital threats in the absence of long-awaited legislation on journalists’ safety, according to the study. The report found that at least eight individuals linked to the media were killed, at least 36 journalists were attacked in the line of duty and 10 were arrested, while as many as 23 instances of arbitrary detentions in connection with news reporting and online expression were recorded across Pakistan during the year. Women journalists were especially targeted with coordinated online attacks as they reported on political issues and the government’s pandemic response.

 

The report noted that the Covid-19 pandemic intensified the challenges to freedom of expression and access to information in Pakistan. Internet users were consistently exposed to disinformation while journalists reporting on the pandemic faced physical safety risks and restrictions on access to information sources, and many young citizens without Internet services found themselves abandoned as education systems shifted online, according to the report.

 

The online report launch also featured a panel discussion with press freedom advocate Owais Aslam Ali, journalist Asad Hashim, digital rights activist Farieha Aziz, and MMfD Co-founder Sadaf Khan. The panelists spoke about the impact of the pandemic on free speech in the country.

 

KARACHI:  Sindh Governor Imran Ismail has urged Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) to focus on further enhancing its capacity and broadening the scope of its humanitarian activities to serve the humanity.

 

He called upon PRCS to fully equip itself with modern tools and techniques to effectively deal with any emergent situation in the country including natural calamities. The governor said this while presiding over an extra ordinary general meeting of PRCS held on Wednesday via video link at Governor’s House Karachi.

 

The governor said that people had great expectations and attached high hopes with PRCS for its significant role in emergency and disaster situations. He expressed the hope that the organization would rise to the expectations of the people by catering in a befitting manner to the needs of affectees in case of any emergency.

 

The governor expressed satisfaction over the performance of PRCs in alleviating sufferings of the people during the times of natural calamities and other emergencies; and stressed for more vigorous steps to enhance its capacities in the areas of disaster management, health and care, youth and volunteerism and image building. PRCS Chairman Abrar ul Haq in his remarks thanked the governor for reposing confidence on PRCs. He reiterated the commitment to work earnestly and with devotion for the set goals of the society.