Good governance, media’s positive role urged

Speakers call for good governance, constructive media, civil society to highlight disaster response issues.

ISLAMABAD: Speakers underlined the need for good governance along with constructive role of media and civil society to highlight disaster response issues.

They were speaking at a conference titled, “Moving from Disasters to Development,” organised by Strengthening Participatory Organisation (SPO) at a local hotel.

Naseer Memon of SPO said, “The recent devastating floods have raised many questions that need to be addressed well in time to handle natural calamities.” Pointing at governance as the biggest issue facing the government, civil society and the media, he said ways to move forward should be devised in this regard.

“We should not forget that in every disaster there is an opportunity, which we must avail,” he added.

Dr Tufail Mohammed Khan said the conference was aimed at taking stock of the situation and learning ways to control losses caused by natural disasters.

In his keynote address, independent economist Dr Pervaiz Tahir said, “It is unfortunate that we were not using our own resources and relying upon foreign aid and loans.” He stressed the need for using domestic sustainable resources to address issues caused by natural disasters. He added that media played an important role in 2005 earthquake as well as in the recent floods.

Dr Tahir said that as floods played havoc in the country, many issues of governance which needed attention were also unearthed. He said the government should first compensate the flood victims and then work for their rehabilitation and reconstruction of homes. He added that the government’s idea of making model villages is not pragmatic.

Former Minister for Information and Broadcasting Javed Jabar stressed on the need of community media, which should only focus on issues related to public interests without depending on advertisements.

He also expressed his astonishment that Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has not issued a single license for community media and has set the priority of a sound economic position for the applicants.

He said there is a huge gap between political and civil society and urged to fill it for development.

Talking about poverty and development, he said poverty could not be abolished without creating indigenous livelihood sources.

The former information minister underlined that Pakistani media is suffering from ‘media excess’ and there is need to organise it.

Chairing one of the sessions at the conference, Federal Minister for Labour and Manpower Syed Khursheed Shah regretted that politicians often forget their pledges. The federal minister said PPP-led government had abolished and amended all those laws allowing a ruler to prolong his/her rule over five years.

He said country and government were two different things, but regrettably political parties think of their tenure, not the country.

The minster stressed the need for continuity of system to foster and strengthen institutions and democracy in the country.

Shah said a foreign mafia was involved in weakening the country, adding that power deficit problem would have been solved if the World Bank and International Monetary Fund had provided funds.

Dr Mubarak Ali said responsibility should not be  given only to the bureaucracy but also local government in development and civic services.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 3^rd, 2010.