Economic integration and terrorism

Husain NAQI

Economic integration and combating terrorism, whether it be in the name of religion, ethnicity or the State, should be on the agenda of the SAARC summit beginning in the Sri Lanka capital, Colombo.

The region’s development and prosperity of its around one and a half billion people remains hostage to myopic forces of the status quo with the result that almost half of their population lives below the poverty line and points to a colossal waste of human resources.

Follow the lead

At the beginning of the new millennium, hopes were kindled that SAARC countries would follow the lead provided by their neighbours of South East Asia and move fast to fill the void that was created by the colonialists and would help them come together through forging unity in matters related primarily to economic progress.

Now for over two decades the leaders, including the self-appointed ones and of suspect representative status, have been meeting annually, preceded by meetings of officials and foreign ministers. But very slow forward movement was witnessed towards South Asia emerging as an economic union.

Four years have passed since the signing of South Asia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) at the Islamabad SAARC Summit and various issues are still under discussion between the lethargic officialdom that was inherited from colonial masters.

Earlier this year in April, the newly inducted Prime Minister of Pakistan had also talked about putting SAFTA agreement provisions on a fast track.

At a seminar under the auspices of SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he had held out the assurance that his government would act as a facilitator for the implementation of SAFTA, instead of a regulator.

Internal issues

An indication of the same was available in the latest import policy but the Government wilted under the pressure of Pharmaceutical industry tycoons and cancelled the decision about the import of life-saving drugs at almost half the present rates that were to be raised further by 40 per cent.

Coming back to the SAARC Summit whose officials would have met by the time this writing appears, it could be assumed that the participants discussed the incidents of serial blasts in the two Indian economic hubs of Bangalore and Ahmedabad - the later capital of Gujarat (to which belonged the families of Gandhi and Jinnah) that has taken a heavy toll of dozens of innocent human lives, especially in Ahmedabad, which a few years ago was the scene of anti-Muslim carnage under official patronage.

Afghan and Sri Lankan officials also must have talked about the activities of Taliban and Tigers as they consider them to be terrorist bodies. SAARC has so far kept internal issues outside its scope while its members and even the Summit leaders do make a mention in their official addresses.

Sensitive internal issues with political implementations should continue to be dealt with separately while there are many an issue that were of immediate concern for the economic development of the region and its countries.

There are several issues that need concrete decisions and immediate follow-up action by the SAARC leaders. Of these, the first priority needed to provide uninterrupted, direct, and cheap communication links between the SAARC nations, either without the requirement of visa or a liberal visa regime that allowed elderly and children to get unrestricted visas on entry.

Cheaper modes

Citizens of some SAARC countries already have this facility for their citizens that needs to be extended to all others.

Similarly, the restricted travel and goods transport facilities by cheaper modes like railways and road transport should be open to the citizens of all SAARC countries having their countries’ travel documents.

Nepalis, Bangladeshis, Bhutanese, and even Sri Lankans and Maldivians can do most of their travel by train and road transport if the SAARC nations desire quicker interaction leading to economic integration.

Tourism

What makes our governments reluctant about opening up the travel facilities that would generate billions worth tourism between these countries who have so much to see and enjoy in each other’s country? It is strange that one cannot travel between Peshawar and Dhaka while the same was possible about a century ago.

And why should someone not drive in less than 48 hours from Kathmandu to Lahore and enjoy an overnight stay in some Indian city in the UP. Isn’t it absurd that such travel has turned into a dream in the post 1965 decades despite the establishment of SAARC ?

At a time when some of the SAARC nations were facing staple grain shortage while some have a surplus available, they can demonstrate their concern and offer the same as assistance at a reasonable price.

This would save them of the exorbitant rates being charged by multinational corporations who have earned huge profits at the cost of developing countries whose markets they were pressing through the WTO to be opened for the imperial loot. Instead of opening the markets for MNCs, it would be in the interest of regional cooperation to open the same for countries in the region.

Another area where regional cooperation among SAARC nations could do wonders was the development of electric power generation and the provision of alternative energy sources. It was not hydel and coal alone that could generate the required megawatts (MW) of electricity but there could be combined efforts to develop wind and solar energy.

The leaders need to demonstrate political will and the establishment should restrain itself from subverting mutual cooperation where it was beneficial for all.

One would not expect an overnight change in the mindset of the decision-makers and even other sections of public who have lived their lives hating the neighbours more than others.

This hate game is not only between adherents of different faiths but also amongst them. The feelings were easily discernable, say between India and Nepal and among Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Collective efforts

There was no denying the fact that there did exist genuine suspicions and fears on several issues. But instead of nursing them while living with the same and looking ahead in to the future would be more desirable.

That demanded a collective effort by all the countries of the region for relieving millions and millions of their citizens from poverty and deprivation that it accompanied.

It should be realised that there is no possibility of ‘poverty alleviation’ or ‘sustainable development’ in developing member nations of SAARC unless collective efforts are made for developing resources through intensive use of human resources that, despite freedom from colonial bondage, remain deprived of the basic inputs for what was termed ‘value addition’ in their output.

The writer is a senior journalist (The Post)