NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 5 2015
Feature Cover Story
Weathering Heights
Earthquake survivors in need of urgent trauma counselling in Pakistan
Why the upcoming climate change conference in Paris is important for Pakistan
All shook up
30 Feature
A season of apathy Pakistan shows a lack of commitment to combat climate change
24
34 Regulars
6 People & Parties: Out and about with beautiful people
40 Reviews: Movies and Art
46 Human Resources: Choosing the right leadership development programme
Magazine Incharge: Dilaira Dubash. Senior Subeditor: Ali Haider Habib. Subeditor: Komal Anwar Creative Team: Jamal Khurshid, Essa Malik, Mohsin Alam, Talha Ahmed Khan, Hira Fareed, Maryam Rashid, Eesha Azam and Sanober Ahmed Publisher: Bilal A Lakhani. Editor: Kamal Siddiqi For feedback and submissions: magazine@tribune.com.pk 4 Twitter: @ETribuneMag & Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ETribuneMag Printed: uniprint@unigraph.com
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Swarovski host the first sparkling couture exhibition in Dubai
Christoph, Loie and Mona
Verena Koetzle and Petra Gasser
Claire Paprocki and Andrew Mojica
Tena Durrani, Maria B and Khadija Shah
Rohit Nagu and Rohini Sonpar
Rajat Arora, Kiran Kureshi and Palak Bhati
6 NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 5 2015
PHOTOS COURTESY GOLIN PR
Peach with a friend
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Sabrina, Malika Fareed, Saira Omer, Natasha Nabi, Sundus Rizwan and Nuria Rafique
Asma Maqsood
PHOTOS COURTESY LOTUS PR
The Fundraisers host a charity event in Lahore
Momina Randhawa, Shazia and Meena Qureshi
Sarah Raza, Khadija Malik, Sabeen Malik and Tehmina
8 NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 5 2015
Vaneeza Ahmad, Kamiar Rokni, Rana Noman and Ayesha Kasuri
Sofia and Anam
PEOPLE & PARTIES Mohsin and Annie Bashir
Kiran Aman
Naureen Yasir
Pink Tree exhibits its clothing collection in Karachi Sonya Khan
Nazneen Tariq and Moiz Kazmi
10 NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 5 2015
Shamail and Imran Kureshi
Sadaf and Sam
PHOTOS COURTESY WALNUT PR
Komal Malik
PEOPLE & PARTIES Gulzeb, Chetna Shashtri, Fariyal Murad and Nazline Tariq
PHOTOS COURTESY SAVVY PR & EVENTS
Eram Nazir
Saima Yousaf launches the second branch of Face 2 Face salon in Dubai
Zulekha Sheikh
Fajar and Sadaf Razvi
12 NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 5 2015
Mrs Azmat and Ambreen
Mo and Aleena Shah
Angie Kiyani
Romana and Zoya Khalid
Rozy Khan and Safa Khan
Mehwish Usman
Sehrish and Shahmir
14 NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 5 2015
Misbah Mehta and Saima Yousaf
Serene Humayun
PHOTOS COURTESY SAVVY PR & EVENTS
PEOPLE & PARTIES
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Aleena and Faarya
Anaam Chaudhry
Ambreen Karamat with a friend
Saad and Sadaf
Nimrah Hamid
Rubab
16 NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 5 2015
Alizay
Mujtaba and Sadia
PHOTOS COURTESY LATITUDE PR
Coca-Cola holds its third annual awards ceremony in Lahore
PEOPLE & PARTIES Zoe and Saadia Abbasi
Mehak Rizvi
Shireen and Amna
Humaira, Sumaira, Samina and Raina
18 NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 5 2015
Hamna and Iqra
Saadia Gul
Sarah Belal and Hanna
Mr and Mrs Hammad Naqi Khan
PHOTOS COURTESY LATITUDE PR
Elif, Rengin and Amara
PEOPLE & PARTIES Rubia Moghees
Farah and Saira
Sabina
PHOTOS COURTESY SAVVY PR & EVENTS
Mahnoor and Momina Khayal
Naz Mansha launches the cosmetic brand Inglot in Lahore Ali Moin and Onaza Butt
Rabiya Mumtaaz and Sabrina
20 NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 5 2015
Zara and Madiha
Amna Niazi
PEOPLE & PARTIES Shumaila and Sundas
Kausar Humaiyun
PHOTOS COURTESY SAVVY PR & EVENTS
Babloo, Natty, Humera, Sonia and Tony
Zehra and Nazia
Hifsa and Rima Farid
Zahra Naveed and Sakib
Mahi, Seher and Zainab
21 NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 5 2015
COVER STORY
A man looks at a damaged house in earthquake-hit lower Dir. PHOTO: AFP
Scarred by trauma, earthquake survivors in urgent need of psychological rehabilitation BY WISAL YOUSAFZAI DESIGN BY HIRA FAREED
Eighty thousand. That’s the number of people, by the most prudent estimates, who lost their lives in the 2005 earthquake. Years later, in 2013 in Balochistan and in 2015 in KhyberPakhtunkhwa, the earth trembled again. The number of casualties was far lesser in the latter ones, but the fear of earthquakes for those who survived the 2005 calamity is a weight they carry with much burden. Seven-year-old Hira from Dir, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), was at home when the October 26 earthquake, measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale, caused her house to wobble. She now lives in constant fear, afraid of even going out to play with other children. “My daughter wakes up in the middle of the night and starts crying, saying the earthquake will demolish our home,” says Hira’s father Attaur Rehman. He took his daughter to a hospital where instead of treating her for trauma, the doctors advised Rehman to take her to a cleric who could give her a phylactery (taweez) to cure her, he adds. K-P was the worst-hit province. According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), around
People walk past the rubble of a house damaged by the recent earthquake in the village of Aryankoat, near Dir Bala, K-P. PHOTO: REUTERS
My daughter wakes up in the middle of the night and starts crying, saying the earthquake will demolish our home Resident of Dir Attaur Rehman
26 NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 5 2015
Earthquake survivors carry relief aid from a distribution centre in the quake-hit Shangla district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. PHOTO: AFP 232 people died and 1,415 were injured. Moreover, around 92,072 houses and 1,424 schools were damaged. According to the FATA Disaster Management Authority (FDMA), 31 lives were lost in the tribal belt. Bajaur Agency had the highest number of fatalities at 24, with 159 injured. At least 13 children were among those who lost their lives there. Ziaur Rehman, a resident of Bajaur Agency, says entire villages in Salarzai tehsil have been destroyed. “The aftershocks of the earthquake can still be felt in the area, sending fear down the spines of the people residing there,” adds Rehman, talking to The Express Tribune in the weeks following the earthquake. The K-P and federal governments have jointly announced compensation packages for the victims of the earthquake. Families of the deceased will get Rs0.6 million, while those injured and whose houses have been destroyed will get Rs0.2 million each. Domestic non-governmental organisations, such as Al-Khidmat Foundation, are also providing relief to affected people in the form of amenities. However, children and women suffering from trauma have little help in the way of psychological rehabilitation. Those with demolished homes may be able to rebuild their houses with financial aid from the government and welfare organisations,
but their broken hearts will be more difficult to mend. Medical Superintendent at District Headquarters Hospital, Khar in Bajaur, Dr Muhammad Saeed Khan says 60% of affected people show signs of psychological trauma, of which half are directly affected. These include a large number of women and children. “I received the body of a woman who died of a heart attack during the earthquake,” informs Muhammad Saeed. The associate professor at the Accident and Emergency Unit in Lady Reading Hospital (LRH), Peshawar, Dr Abdul Wahab, says he was on duty on the day of the earthquake and dealt with many victims. The hospital received more than 150 patients, of which around 20, mostly women and children, were suffering from trauma, he adds. “I still feel fearful because of continuous aftershocks in the area,” says Waqar Ahmad, a resident of Drosh tehsil of Chitral. He adds a number of buildings have developed cracks and are no longer suitable to live in. PDMA spokesperson Latifur Rehman says the provincial government has already provided compensation and relief packages in most of the affected areas, adding they are working closely with donor agencies and NGOs to provide all possible help, especially in
Chitral, Shangla and Torghar. Mushtaq Ahmad Jan, the Director of Centre for Disaster Preparedness and Management at University of Peshawar, says this centre was established in 2009 and offers postgraduate, MSc, BSc, MPhil and PhD courses. The aim of the centre is to minimise casualties and mitigate damage in the event of any natural disaster. He adds the department has so far organised 45 different trainings, claiming hundreds of students have also been trained in first aid. The Pakistan Meteorological Department has divided Pakistan into four zones, says Jan. Zone-1, which includes Chitral, is the most vulnerable to earthquakes and thus from where the highest number of casualties were reported. He laments the PDMA is only active in Peshawar, stressing the need to make it effective in other districts as well. The Deputy Commissioner (DC) is the chairman of the PDMA at the district level, shares Jan. It is difficult for a DC, who is already bogged down with many responsibilities, to shoulder an additional duty effectively. He adds the PDMA should appoint a disaster management officer in every district who can send a report to the government stating how vulnerable each area is to a disaster. Japan, for instance, has earthquake 27 NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 5 2015
COVER STORY
Recent
Earthquakes
166,800 injured 15,000 dead 7.9 magnitude India, Pakistan January 26, 2001
in South Asia
2.8m displaced 70,000 injured 86,000 deaths 7.6 magnitude Kashmir, Pakistan, India October 8, 2005
250,000 dead 9.3 magnitude India, Sri Lanka, Maldives December 26, 2004
700 injured 825 deaths 7.7 magnitude Pakistan Sept 24, 2013
22,000 injured 9,000 deaths Nepal April 25, 2015
No reported deaths 5.9 magnitude Pakistan November 22, 2015
28 NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 5 2015
2,500+ injured 400 deaths 7.5 magnitude Afghanistan, Pakistan, India October 26, 2015
resistant buildings, says Jan, but Pakistan has not taken any steps to follow a construction policy even after the 2005 earthquake flattened major structures, including Margalla Towers in Islamabad, killing scores of people and injuring over a hundred. “An earthquake doesn’t kill people. It is the buildings that do,” he adds. People constructed their houses with wood in the past, but later turned to stone walls because it was cheaper to do so, says Jan. However, the stone walls pose a deadly threat in the event of an earthquake, crushing inhabitants of the building under their weight. He says education and awareness is imperative to make people realise the importance of earthquake-friendly homes. Dr Naveed Khan has done his PhD in earthquake engineering from the US and is currently working as a senior instructor at the Earthquake Research Centre, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar. He says their centre, which was established in 2002, is equipped with state-ofthe-art machines and labs. In 2005, the Higher Education Commission released Rs38.5 million for the establishment of a lab, while Rs670 million was released in 2008 for a second lab. Though the Building Code of Pakistan does exist on paper, to which seismic provisions were added in 2007, says Naveed, there is no implementation. He, however, agreed that buildings built after the 2005 earthquake, especially schools, were not damaged in this year’s calamity because they were earthquake resistant. According to Naveed, there are many buildings in Peshawar and other older cities of the country which are more than a hundred years old. These are extremely vulnerable to earthquakes and warrant immediate attention from the government.
The Earthquake Research Centre at University of Engineering & Technology, Lahore is researching on building materials and will provide feedback to the government, he adds. Director of the KhyberPakhtunkhwa Environmental Protection Agency, Dr Bashir Khan, maintains the intensity of earthquakes is increasing with time. He claims the spike in population and the accompanying pressure on the environment due to deforestation and earth moving could be one of the reasons for this. He adds landslides could decrease considerably if deforestation is curbed, making Pakistan less prone to catastrophes triggered by climate change. Chairperson of the Psychology Department at the University of Peshawar says people from affected areas such as Shangla, Swat, Dir and Buner, especially women, children and the elderly, have shown clear signs of suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. She adds aftershocks still persist following the earthquake, which is why the government and other donors must take steps to ensure people do not live in constant fear. Director of the National Weather Forecasting Centre, Islamabad, Dr Muhammad Hanif, agrees. He says over 120 aftershocks have been reported since the October 26 earthquake, adding the onset of winter has compounded the miseries of those affected, with some left to brave snow and rain under the open sky, particularly in Malakand, Chitral and Hazara. So, while efforts have been made, much more needs to be done. When the earth shook, it shook with it many lives. And several like Hira now dwell in constant fear, waiting for another earthquake to crumble what’s left. Wisal Yousafzai is a Peshawar-based journalist. He tweets @WisalYousafzai
An injured earthquake survivor who was evacuated from Chitral by military. PHOTO: AFP
A man walks past the rubble of a house in Mingora after it was damaged by the recent earthquake. PHOTO: REUTERS
WEATHERING
HEIGHTS
As the earth heats up, world leaders huddle in Paris to avert looming danger BY FERYA ILYAS
DESIGN BY EESHA AZAM
The global community may be anticipating a climate apocalypse in the future, but for Pakistan doomsday has arrived. A killer heat wave in Karachi, flash floods in Chitral and a mini-cyclone in Peshawar have claimed over a thousand lives in the country this year, demonstrating just how pressing the issue has become. With natural calamities becoming frequent across Pakistan and in the rest of the world, global leaders are gathering in Paris, tomorrow, November 30, at the 21st United Nations Climate Change Conference, better known as COP21, to chalk out a strategy to stop further heating up of the earth’s atmosphere. The conference ambitiously seeks to reach a legally binding international agreement to keep global warming below 2°C, relative to pre-industrial levels.
CALL TO ACTION At the receiving end of nature’s fury, Pakistan can no longer stay in denial and the first step in fixing any problem is admitting the problem exists. However, environmental expert and author of BBC’s Climate Asia report Khadija Zaheer says the task at hand is no longer to prove the existence of climate change but to adapt to and cope with it. “If you speak to farmers and fishermen or even a layman, there is a growing perception that summers are hotter and longer while winters are delayed. In some parts of the country, within the winter months, there have been rapid shifts from intense cold and unseasonal snowfall to unexpected occurrence of frost which affects crops and livestock,” she says. “According to Pakistan’s chief
meteorologist, the nature of rainfall has deviated from the seasonally accepted patterns. On one end, we have torrential downpour which causes flooding and stripping of top soil and on the other, we have sparse rainfall,” she adds. Pakistan and the rest of the world are in no position to continue with the ‘business-as-usual’ mantra as climate change has the power to disrupt livelihoods and create economic and social pressures that will exacerbate over time, Zaheer says. According to a 2015 World Bank report, global warming will reduce the income of Pakistan’s bottom 40% by more than eight per cent. “The severity of poverty impact will vary among countries with Guatemala, Pakistan,
Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, and Yemen being the worst hit,” states the report. Being one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, Pakistan is believed to face tremendous costs in terms of water, food and energy security. A review of the past few years strengthens this view; food prices skyrocketed after the 2010 floods destroyed 2.1 million hectares of agricultural land, sending the price of wheat upward by 50%. Along with causing food scarcity, the floods lead to the spread of infectious
disease and diarrhoea. “It is a shame that while the world has climate change at the top of its agenda, Pakistan’s priorities are different. Reviving the economy and ending poverty are very important issues but we need to understand that climate change will affect each one of these problems,” says environmental lawyer and activist Ahmed Rafay Alam.
Zaheer points there is great disconnect between intention and action despite a well-though out national policy on climate change. “The policy document needs to be translated into actionable programmes that are funded and run by both federal and provincial governments,” she stresses.
31
FEATURE
INDICATORS PARIS AGENDA In the run up to COP21, developed countries have been raising money to help developing countries adapt to and mitigate climate change. In 2009, the advanced economies formally agreed to mobilise $100 billion per year by 2020 to assist poorer countries fight the effects of climate change. Pakistan should therefore use its vulnerable position as leverage and lobby to secure climate funding raised by the rich countries, says Alam. “In Pakistan, where economic development and reduction in poverty are at the forefront of national policy, it is crucial that our leaders put our case forward in front of the world at the Paris summit,” he says. “Pakistan can lead debates on investment in green infrastructure such as clean energy and better water management practices as well as lobby, individually and with groups of less developed nations, to have rich countries commit to drastic reductions in emission,” he suggests. Being one of the worstaffected countries, Pakistan must set aside an estimated $10.7 billion each year to adapt to climate change and will need support from the international community to cope with increasing challenges.t
OF A
R
WARMING WORLD
ise in sea level — It has been estimated to be about 6.7 inches in the last century, however, the rate at which the sea level has risen in the last decade alone is nearly double of that. A 2012 Asian Development Bank report has put Karachi at high risk from the increase in sea level in the Arabian Sea. Rise in global temperature — Global surface temperature reconstructions show the earth has warmed since 1880 — the period following the Industrial Revolution. Glaciers in Pakistan are constantly melting due to this rise in mercury, affecting water flow and the agricultural crop cycle. Warming of oceans — Top 700 metres of ocean showed a warming of 0.302°F since 1969. This has been a major cause of cyclones in the Arabian Sea. Glacial retreat — Glaciers are retreating almost everywhere around the world, including the Alps, Himalayas, Andes, Rockies, Alaska and Africa. The Hindu Kush Himalayan glaciers in Pakistan have melted up to 35 metres since 1984. Decrease in snow cover — Spring snow-cover in the Northern Hemisphere has decreased over the past five decades, with snow melting earlier than usual. Data from Pakistan shows large variations in snow-cover over the years, featuring an increase in the trend from 2008 to 2013. Extreme events — Heat waves, droughts, floods and storms are becoming common and more intense. The recent drought in Tharparkar, heat wave in Karachi and floods across Pakistan are proof of extreme climate conditions in the country. Ocean acidification — Acidity of surface ocean waters has increased by almost 30% since the start of the Industrial Revolution. The amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by the upper layer of the oceans is increasing by about 2bn tonnes/ year. Many forms of marine life — especially species that build calcium-based shells — are under threat in Pakistan due to ocean acidification. SOURCE: NEWS REPORTS/CLIMATE.NASA.GOV
32
Ferya Ilyas is a senior subeditor at The Express Tribune. She tweets @ferya_ilyas NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 5 2015
ROAD TO PARIS 1979 — First World Climate Conference in Geneva. 1988 —
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), responsible for assessing knowledge of climate change and its impacts, was created.
1990 — warming and human responsibility for the phenomenon.
First IPCC report published confirming the existence of global
1992 —
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was created at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, officially recognising the existence of climate change and human responsibility for this phenomenon.
Kyoto Protocol adopted, setting quantified greenhouse gas reduction
1997 — commitments for developed countries between 2008 and 2012. 2005 —
Kyoto Protocol comes into effect concerning 36 developed countries, barring the US and Australia who did not ratify it.
2007
Bali Action Plan opened negotiations in an effort to bring the in line with other developed countries and to adopt a new — US international agreement in 2009 in Copenhagen.
Conference of Parties in Copenhagen, Denmark, approves shared target to
2009 — limit global warming to 2°C but no new international agreement is signed. 2010 — Green Climate Fund created at a conference in Cancún, Mexico. Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP) obligates all countries to cut carbon
2011 — emissions for the first time. ADP is a road map to guide countries towards a legal deal in 2015 which will come into effect after 2020.
Doha Conference reaches an agreement to extend the life of
2012 — Kyoto Protocol, due to expire at the end of 2012, until 2020. 2015 —
COP21 conference, to be held in Paris between November 30 and December 11, aims to reach a new binding global agreement to keep global warming below 2°C which will be applicable to all. SOURCE: COP21.GOUV.FR
33 NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 5 2015
A season of apathy Pakistan heads to the climate change conference in Paris with little preparation BY SYED MUHAMMAD ABUBAKAR | DESIGN BY SANOBER AHMED
Acres of agricultural land are rendered barren due to climate change. PHOTO COURTESY: ZAHOOR SALMI/WWF-PAKISTAN
34 NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 5 2015
T
he Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) document Pakistan has submitted ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris is the shortest one by any country — just one page (350 words). This is even more alarming when one considers how this year has proved to be an unusual one for Pakistan due to unpredictable weather events. A mini-cyclone in Peshawar killed 44 people, heat waves in Karachi killed more than 1,500 people, cloudbursts in various areas of Gilgit-Baltistan affected 35,717 people, while floods across the country killed 238 and affected more than 1.5 million people.
“While it does mention Pakistan’s commitment to the cause of climate stability, it does not mention the efforts that have been made on both mitigation and adaptation,” said Shafqat Kakakhel, former ambassador and chairperson of the board of governors at Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI). He was speaking at a media training workshop organised by a German political non-profit organisation in Islamabad last month. Kakekhel is not the only one dissatisfied with Pakistan’s INDC document. In fact, many climate experts and environmentalists are criticising the government for failing to submit the INDC in its prescribed format. Countries across the world have submitted their promises in the form of INDCs to the United Nations (UN), stating their commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Pakistan, on the other hand, did not even submit them by the given date. Instead, it did so at a later date and reaffirmed its lack of commitment, an immense diplomatic embarrassment. Kakakhel, who also served as the deputy executive director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and had the honour of being a UN Assistant Secretary General, referred
to the zero draft prepared by the Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC). A far more comprehensive document, the draft needs vigorous editing to remove redundancy. That draft also suffered from some omissions such as adverse health impacts and Pakistan’s perspective on loss and damage. “The new document does not list Pakistan’s needs regarding mitigation, adaptation, technology development and transfer and capacity building unlike the INDC documents submitted by all other developing countries,” added Kakakhel. He also highlighted some errors in the INDC. “The 350-word document contains several incorrect references
Drained
$25 billion is the economic damage Pakistan has sustained due to floods from 2010 to 2014 such as our policies on agriculture, energy and water resources. Unfortunately, Pakistan has not formulated policies on all these vital
Plants and vegetation are greatly affected by the impacts of climate change. PHOTO COURTESY:ZAHOOR SALMI/WWF-PAKISTAN
The backbone of a fish in a dried up river bed near Coto Doñana National Park, Spain. PHOTO COURTESY: JUAN CARLOS DEL OLMO/WWF-SPAIN
topics.” Kakakhel urged that at the Paris conference, Pakistan should contribute to the efforts made by other developing countries. This can ensure that the outcome of the meeting serves the twin objectives — climate stability and support to developing countries to adapt to the negative effects of climate change, and pursue low carbon development policies. The INDCs were an opportunity to highlight the challenges Pakistan faces in the form of the war on terror and adverse climatic conditions. It could have referred the challenges with regard to the vulnerability of Pakistan, which is not mentioned and could have helped Pakistan’s delegation highlight the case effectively. Bilal Anwar, the global head for Climate Change Services, Michigan, US, and a researcher, was part of the team which drafted the INDC. He had a unique story to tell at the workshop. 35 NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 5 2015
Countries across the world have submitted their promises in the form of INDCs to the United Nations stating their commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Climate change leads to glacial melt. PHOTO COURTESY: STEVE MORELLO/WWF-CANON “All of us including the MoCC worked hard preparing the INDC document, in compliance with our international commitment. However, the document prepared by us and the one submitted to the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat are entirely different.” Highlighting the importance of INDC document for Pakistan, Anwar said, “Through our INDC, we could have demonstrated a commitment to reduce our carbon emissions in line with our intended and projected economic growth. This can be achieved by adopting low emissions developmental strategies, which are subject to the provision of required financial and technical assistance by the international community. Unfortunately, by submitting these INDCs, we are not at a stage of controlling the damage at international negotiations.” When asked about securing funds from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), a fund within the framework of the United National Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) set up as a mechanism 36 to assist developing countries in NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 5 2015
adapting and mitigating climate change, Anwar had much to say. “We don’t have the capacity to scoop funds from the GCF as we don’t have the capacity to design and implement climate adaptation and mitigation projects. We stand nowhere. Most unfortunate is the fact that in case future mitigation funding in Paris is tied with identified mitigation actions by the countries, Pakistan will lose its moral and probably legal claim to 50% of GCF funding specifically allocated for mitigation.” Asked whether there is any room for improvement now that the INDCs have been submitted, Anwar said, “It was important to highlight to the global community that in the case of Pakistan, it is important to have
access to the required level of funding before our new energy systems and future infrastructure developments are focused on ‘dirty’ fossil fuel technologies.”
A climate affected country Pakistan’s carbon emissions are less than 1% in the global arena, but the country is highly vulnerable to the impact of climate change in the form of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF), cloud bursts, flash floods, droughts, heatwaves, sea intrusion, storms and cyclones. According to a German think-tank, Germanwatch Global Climate Risk Index 2015, Pakistan is ranked among the top 10 countries most affected by the impacts of climate change between 1994-2013. Pakistan was identified as the third most affected country, after Haiti and the Philippines in 2012.
The rising sea level is changing how coastal communities live. PHOTO COURTESY: WWF-PAKISTAN
Increased pollution in urban areas is fueling climate change. PHOTO COURTESY: EDWARD PARKER/WWF-CANON. According to Germanwatch, Pakistan suffered losses of more than $6 billion in 2012 alone, equivalent to one per cent of the GDP, and a death toll of 662 people. Pakistan’s climate vulnerability is further highlighted by the figures provided by the Ministry of Climate Change, which confirm that 22.8% of the country’s area and 50% of its population are at risk due to the impact of climate change. The Planning Commission of Pakistan has acknowledged that from 2010-2014 Pakistan suffered economic damages of over $25 billion due to floods and needs over $26 billion to restore these damages.
The loss and damage mechanism There’s a dire need to fully and more aggressively engage in evolving the mechanism of loss and damage. As per the mechanism, Pakistan should be appropriately compensated for what it is bearing in the form of annual floods, GLOFs, cloud bursts, cyclones, sea intrusion and losses in agricultural productivity, as it is not a contributor to climate change. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Vice President Malik Amin Aslam criticised the government
for missing the important deadline of submitting the INDC in the first place and, secondly, coming forward with a meaningless one-page document. “It is an extremely generalised and overly simplistic submission, which really sends a message of poor preparedness and nonseriousness towards the issue. We are economically drained of $6 billion to $14 billion annually due to the impacts of climate change. The INDC casually terms this forced adaptation as an opportunity for investment,” said Malik Amin. Aslam further said, “Keeping in
view the INDC we have submitted, it will become increasingly difficult to compete with other countries for funds from the GCF, especially when others have very well-researched and focused INDC.” Aslam, who is the chair of the Green Growth Initiative in KhyberPakhtunkhwa and also a lead member of the Pakistan’s negotiating team on climate change, further referred to K-P government’s ‘Zero Carbon’ growth strategy based on hydel and renewable power development and investments in enhancing forest sequestration. He urged the federal
Increased silting in rivers is an impact of climate change. PHOTO COURTESY:ZAHOOR SALM/IWWF-PAKISTAN
FEATURE
It is an extremely generalised and overly simplistic submission, which really sends a message of poor preparedness and non-seriousness towards the issue International Union for Conservation of Nature Vice President Malik Amin Aslam government and other provinces to follow suit in order to adapt and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Glaciologist Dr Dominique Raynaud said international support and solidarity can help Pakistan solve the crisis. “Pakistan’s scenario is
comparatively different from other countries, because it is part of the nations emitting a small amount of GHGs but highly vulnerable to climate disruption. Therefore, Pakistan has to adapt to this disruption and mitigate the effects for which it is not even responsible,” said Raynaud, who is a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
A lost war?
Pakistan’s economy is losing billions of dollars from climatic events, but only Rs39.75 million was allocated for the Ministry of Climate Change in the 2015-16 budget. The Ministry of Climate Change has finally gotten a minister now that Zahid Hamid has taken charge. Experts question whether Hamid will lead the Pakistani delegation at COP21. If so, does he have any sound understanding of Pakistan’s climate vulnerability case and, most importantly, will he be able to effectively communicate this to the world so that Pakistan can secure some funds for adaptation? These
are some questions that are yet to be answered. Pakistan has a history of missing opportunities and this might be one of them. Experts say it’s a lost war but maybe it is time to embrace it and live up to its expectations. Although the present situation of Pakistan places it on a weaker position, there’s a dire need to be better prepared in order to adapt and mitigate climate change. However, if our leaders fail to present Pakistan’s case rightfully, it will be an injustice to the mountain communities who are witnessing frequent GLOFs, cloudbursts and landslides; to the creek communities who are facing a rise in sea level, storms, cyclones and sea intrusion; and especially to the farmers of Sindh and Punjab who are witnessing a decline in agricultural productivity. It’s time to act before it’s too late.
Syed Muhammad Abubakar is an international award-winning environmental writer with an interest in climate change, deforestation, food security and sustainable development. He tweets @SyedMAbubakar
Deforestation of mangroves has made creek communities vulnerable to storms and cyclones. PHOTO COURTESY: WWF-PAKISTAN
38
FILM
A fire doused Final installment of Hunger Games movies may leave viewers without any real closure BY HURMAT MAJID J
We had our reservations when the filmmakers decided to snip Mockingjay into two parts, but the result leaves us on the fence about the decision. On the one hand, dividing the last book into two movies gave film-makers ample room to ensure visual accuracy in terms of how readers experience the book. On the other hand, creating a movie that focuses so heavily on the internal conflict of Katniss Everdeen shifts focus away from other aspects of the story. The rest of the cast, including Julianne Moore, Josh Hutcherson, Donald Sutherland and Woody Harrelson hardly get any screen time. Even when they do, their roles lack the depth witnessed in previous films. That said, the director needs to be given credit for successfully working around the death of Philip Seymour Hoffman, who passed away in 2014 before filming was complete. Directed by Francis Lawrence, the final installment focuses solely on Katniss Everdeen and her decision to fight on the frontlines as the rebels take over the Capitol. We see the inner battle that Everdeen faces as she comes to terms with the fact that even as she fights for freedom she is still just a pawn in a larger game. Every happy scene in the film looks like it is out of place in an otherwise dark narrative. Although Jennifer Lawrence nails the straight-faced brooding side of Katniss, the emotional outbursts fail to make any 40 real impact. NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 5 2015
Staying true to the narrative may have been a good idea had the final installment of the book been turned into one lengthy film. Telling the story in two parts has rendered the installment too dark and overburdened, with nothing much to relieve us of the unpleasant emotions. How the directors managed to make a film packed with so much action into such a drag is beyond us. A great chunk of the 137 minutes was spent stifling yawns, waiting for the end. Even though the film-makers have tried to wrap the story neatly in a bow, the atmosphere in the theatre suggested that we were not alone in harbouring the opinion that the film failed to provide us with any real closure. This suggests sticking to the narrative may not have been the best idea in this case. The greatest disappointment, however, lies in the fact that Ms Everdeen does not adorn the striking red outfit, which instantly draws us to the posters, even once in the film. The final verdict is simple: the film may only be for diehard fans of the books and who have a problem with deviation from the visual depiction of its scenes. Although to anyone who has read the books, the point of stretching the third book into two parts may still be lost. T Rating: Hurmat Majid is a subeditor at The Express Tri Tribune. She tweets @bhandprogramme
Divine disobedience Suffragette gets highest votes for aptly highlighting the first wave of feminism in Britain BY ALLY ADNAN
The powerful are different from those who do not wield power. They guard power with a vicious ferocity; violence, cruelty and brutality come naturally to these people who stop at nothing to retain their dominance over the powerless. The 2014 Model Town, Lahore, massacre, the abuse and murder of religious minorities are but a few examples of the powerful breaking the laws of humanity, religion, society, decency and the Constitution in their depraved bids to retain power. Sarah Gavron’s powerful and deeply moving Suffragette chronicles the extraordinary efforts of a group of women fighting for their rights in the early 20th Century and the vicious response of powerful authorities determined to deny them the right to vote. Women had virtually no rights in 19th Century England. They were disenfranchised, denied rights over their children, subject to lower wages and given no place in national politics. The role of women was seen to be rearing children, cooking and taking care of the home. The industrial revolution resulted in the full-time employment of large numbers of women. Unequal wages, sexual abuse and unfair treatment in the workplace encouraged, if not forced, women to come together, discuss politics and campaign for equal rights. This was the start of the women’s suffrage movement. A number of fragmented but highly organised campaigns were operating all over England by the end of the 19th Century. At the turn of the century, women’s suffrage was a potent national movement. The movement had two wings, the suffragists and the suffragettes. The suffragists came into being in the 19th Century and believed in using peaceful tactics to achieve their goals. The suffragettes were born in the 20th
42 NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 5 2015
Century when peaceful campaigning failed to yield positive results. They believed that militant tactics were needed for the success of the movement. Emmeline Pankhurst was an important leader of the British suffragette movement. Together with her daughters, she founded the Women’s Social and Political Union in 1903 and set the stage for increasingly rebellious and decidedly combative campaigning. Played by the luminous Meryl Streep, Emmeline appears for a short but powerful two minutes in Gavron’s film. Suffragette, thankfully, is not a biopic of Emmeline. It tells the story of the movement using the peripheral and fictional character of a poor working woman, Maud Watts (Carey Mulligan), who has no control over events in her life but enough determination to make a significant contribution to the movement. Maud works under miserable conditions in an industrial laundry in early 20th Century London. She is forced to endure sexual abuse, low wages, gross mistreatment and dreadful conditions at work but finds comfort in her warm, if austere, home where she lives with her husband, Sonny Watts (Ben Whishaw), and son, George Watts (Adam Michael Dodd). She gets caught up in suffragist activities, not necessarily by choice, and is introduced to the movement by a co-worker, Violet Miller (Anne-Marie Duff). Thanks to a growing friendship with Violet and the kindness of pharmacist Edith Ellyn (Helena Bonham Carter), she gets involved in the movement. Soon, Maud is marching in demonstrations, participating in clandestine meetings, blowing up homes, attending rallies, planning the cutting of telegraph wires and bombing mailboxes. Her increasingly radical
activities result in brutal beatings, surveillance, incarceration, force-feeding, ostracism and, most tragically, the disintegration of her happy family. She ignores the advice of the unsympathetic but concerned inspector Arthur Steed (Brendan Gleeson), who all but threatens her to mend her ways and, with nothing to lose, becomes a solid pillar of the cause. Suffragette is a remarkable film; it tells an important story and it tells it well. The nuanced, understated and powerful performance of Mulligan is truly remarkable. Similarly, Carter’s portrayal of a determined woman who does not allow physical weakness to affect her unwavering commitment to her cause is pitch perfect. The supporting cast, most notably Duff, Romola Garai (playing the role of Alice Haughton, the well-bred wife of a leading MP) and Natalie Press (playing the role of a real-life militant activist Emily Davison), not to mention the regal Streep, are at the top of their game in Suffragette. The film makes a wise choice to not depict all male characters as conventional villains. Sonny and Arthur are believable and not entirely evil. The look and feel of the film immaculately captured (mostly with handheld camera) by cinematographer Edu Grau is unnervingly realistic. The astounding work of production designer Alice Normington and costume designer Jane Petrie, together with the muted palette of the film, evoke the stifling atmosphere of a time when women found it impossibly difficult to lead their lives with dignity, freedom and respect. Abi Morgan’s script is well researched, brisk and appropriately grim. The film’s greatest strength is, undoubtedly, its unflinching and accurate depiction of the powerful using fear, intimidation and the strength of the law to suppress movements that threaten their control.
Suffragette, of course, has its shortcomings: a dull score by French composer Alexandre Desplat, an excessive use of contrivance in the narrative, an untampered earnestness, a melodramatic strain and the omission of the role of women of colour in the suffragette movement. Women like Sophia Duleep Singh, Herabai Tata and Mithan Lam’s contributions cannot and should not be ignored. The noticeable, perhaps unintentional, whitewashing of history is unbecoming of a film making a case for fairness, equality and justice. The suffrage movement was long, painful and fragmented. Gavron’s film focuses on a period of two years when the activists were most militant and the government most ruthless, and ends at a turning point when Emily gets killed after stepping out in front of King George V’s galloping horse, at the Epson Derby in 1913. Her sacrifice made headlines all over the world and attracted attention that electrified the movement. The choice to tell an unfinished story and end the film on an equivocal note is both brave and smart. It serves as a tart reminder of the fact that the global fight for women’s rights is far from over. Women are still not able to vote in parts of the world and are subject to humiliation, mistreatment and cruelty even today. The powerful continue to guard power with pathological cruelty and people continue to fight for equality, fairness and respect in many countries all over the world. Pakistan, sadly, is one of those countries.
Rating: Ally Adnan lives in Dallas and writes about culture, history and art. He tweets @allyadnan NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 5 2015
43
ART
Art and aspirations
‘Let a thousand flower bloom’, 2008. PHOTO COURTESY: SANAT GALLERY
Indian artist Manisha Gera Baswani’s recent exhibit at Sanat Gallery conveys a message of peace and harmony between both nations BY SHANZAY SUBZWARI
44 NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 5 2015
Relationships are strange, complicated things. They can make us love deeply; yet, find ourselves hating the same person with equal vigour. Relationships between nations largely stem from their shared histories, but the sustenance and nurturing of these relationships is influenced by political tendencies propagated by the media. When it comes to complicated relationships, what better example is there than our association with our neighbour, India? The sentiments of masses for India, be it with respect to wars, cricket, political crises etcetera, have always been passionate, albeit varied. Nevertheless, with an on-going exchange of entertainment personalities and the recent handing over of Geeta to her homeland by Edhi Foundation, it is clear that many aim to extend the message of brotherhood and promote a healthy exchange of ideas between both nations. And what better way to facilitate this healthy exchange than through art? Sanat Gallery, an avid promoter of art across borders, recently invited New Delhi-based artist Manisha Gera Baswani to show her body of work at their space in Karachi. Titled ‘Hope is the
thing with feathers’, after a poem by Emily Dickinson, the first thing that came to mind was that this show, among other efforts, could be a small step toward the message of peace between the two nations. As a student at Jamia Millia Islamia University Baswani studied under some big names of contemporary Indian art, including the renowned artist A Ramachandran, whom she considers her mentor and guru. Under him, she received her National Scholarship and Junior fellowship from the Government of India from 1991 to 1993 and from 1995 to 1997, respectively. She also received a scholarship from the French Government to study art in Paris in 1992. Baswani’s earlier works drew from Indian miniatures and Buddhist murals. Her guru Ramachandran’s vast knowledge of the visual culture of India became a distinctive learning tool for her. Later, one could see Western influences, such as Hollywood icons including James Bond and Elvis Presley, on her canvases along with insects, galaxies, ancient Indian murals and monuments. Her many travels, including a trip to the ruins of Mandu and Jaisalmer between 2007 and 2009, have further influenced her work. When one sees Baswani’s work on display at the Gallery, one can immediately grasp her connection with nature. Earthy tones of yellow ochre, army green and rust brown are often seen inundating her canvases, with imagery such as vegetal figures, an abundance of feathers and flora and fauna and formations. Often, one can see compositions that vaguely resemble Mughal miniature paintings with occasional geometric forms and divisions. Also, her use of gouache (opaque watercolour on paper) takes one back to a time when this medium was used by artists to create miniature paintings that were patronised by Mughal emperors. This reminds one of the shared histories of Pakistan and India, particularly in the 16th and 17th Centuries, when the two nations were part of the Indian subcontinent under Mughal rule. Today, a large number of Pakistani artists also study Mughal miniature painting and derive strong influences from it in their works.
‘Scratch beneath’, 2012. PHOTO COURTESY: SANAT GALLERY
Baswani’s ‘Scratch Beneath’, in pencil, charcoal and watercolour on paper, reveals a deep red wound of sorts against a white background. It is unclear whether it is a flesh wound or a cut in fabric. Inside the scarlet, exposed surface lies another cut revealing a riveting blue. What could this symbolise one may ask; perhaps peace after war, relief after hardship, bounty after toil or simply the multiplicity of layers in any given situation. In ‘Let a thousand flowers bloom’, Baswani depicts an undulating landscape of what seems like richly coloured mountains, sharp peaks and curvilinear forms of the earth. Imposed on these are rows of flowers in different stages and at the very top lies a sperm-like flower, seemingly in wait to merge with one of the many flowers in close proximity. Perhaps Baswni’s piece is a literal interpretation of the initial process of (re)creation as a closer look reveals various faces painted on selective roses, embodying the possibilities of new life. Nature is the primal force in most of Baswani’s other pieces as well. It helps depict a plethora of complicated ideas, which, for the most part, the artist leaves open to interpretation. Her works reflect distinct phases of her life, each a compact episode of an enduring voyage that people across borders can delight in, and relate to. Shanzay Subzwari is an artist and art writer based in Karachi. She tweets @ShanzaySubzwari
‘Day...everyday’, 2011. PHOTO COURTESY: SANAT GALLERY NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 5 2015
45
Takingthelead
Choosing the right leadership development programme for yourself |BY MOEZ ALLIDINA
Are leaders born or made? Based on trait and behavioural theories, this notion can be argued either way. If the question is posed to senior executives and human resources professionals, a vast majority will answer in favour of the latter. Practically speaking, both hold true to some extent. In fact, the real challenge of leadership is not to create followers, but to create effective leaders. Too often, organisations struggle with the right Leadership Development Programme (LDP). Companies spend millions on leadership development trainings and there are countless books available on the same, but unfortunately, as soon as the training ends, the acquired knowledge, behaviour and so-called action-based strategies wither away too. There are three common misconceptions about the LDP. One of them is that it is a one-size-fits-all learning session where trainers reveal a success model that can be applied to the leadership development of any organisation. In fact, every individual’s experience varies when it comes to benefiting from these trainings. Another fallacy is that it can be developed or customised without any assessment or proper understanding of the participants and their respective backgrounds. Thirdly, it is often misconceived to be a mixture of several management trainings rolled out for anyone and everyone. Here are some things to keep in mind to make the most of an LDP: Context — This is by far the most important aspect of a successful LDP. Before anything else, it is important to identify what purpose and goal does the programme serve? The premise should be specific leadership skills that are carefully aligned with the vision and growth of the organisation. Continuity — Leadership is a journey and the training programme should be considered a leadership development process. A successful programme should consist of follow-up session(s) to track an individual’s progress. Some companies also extend their trainings for better understanding of concepts in a more personalised and real46 world context. NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 5 2015
Compare — An organisation should not only be concerned about cost-and-benefit. It should also promote employee development. The hardest part of making comparisons is trying to measure success. But how exactly can an organisation measure leadership? A typical participant survey about how they found the programme and if it was beneficial may completely ignore the goal. Hence, using performance reviews to determine whether the candidate is capable of becoming a leader and deserves a promotion can be a helpful tool. Content — This is the heart of the programme and consists of the curriculum. For example, Situational Leadership II model is the foundation of many successful leadership curriculums around the world. In order to learn new skills, the programme must incorporate arduous situations that allow learners to hone their skills by applying learned approaches and strategies. The content needs to be based on ‘empirical research’, which uses thoughts of real people in real situations and in the real world. Only then can it leverage success. Comprehensiveness — LDPs should instil holistic leadership skills that promote innovation, facilitate change and drive performance. According to the Centre for Creative Leadership, four key competencies are vital for leaders: self-awareness, learning agility, communication and influence. However, when mixed with the strategic objectives of the organisation, self-awareness, building relationships, strong business acumen, organisational strategy and integrity form the basis of an enduring LDP. Clarity — The programme needs to be genuine. This last step is actually a tricky one because there needs to be transparency about who is put through the programme — high performers and senior executives, or mid-level management. An organisation is only as good as its employees, but just because a person wants to attend the training does not in any way make the programme meaningful. Organisations can increase the odds of its success by having a clear sense of their current and future priorities.
Moez Allidina is an OD Trainer at Maktab Learning Solutions and a management lecturer.
DESIGN BY MARYAM RASHID