"Gold" Fish

Last weekend we decided to have seafood. We headed to a seafood restaurant in the city that we have been before. The place has gone a thorough renovation and looks very classy. We settled down while the hostess eagerly waited for our order. There were several tanks filled with live lobsters, crabs, fish and funny looking sea creature supposedly to be from Mexico. There were also Alaskan crabs and they really look delicious. We decided to have some oysters (fresh), local crabs (black pepper style), noodles and asparagus cooked with garlic. Now for the fish we decided to have it steamed. Their tanks were at the upper level and from the distance I choose a medium size beauty (It is a kind of grouper with plenty of spots - something like the one above). The price tag reads RM 38 and when the fish was weighed at 500 gm I reckoned it will set me back RM 19. Not bad and I certainly liked to try that beauty. While waiting for the food to be ready, again I decided to take a closer look at the fish in the tanks. Something caught my attention. The tag displayed at the tank from where I selected the fish actaully read RM 38 with a fine print of 100 gm underneath!!. Holy molly!! My head spun when I realised that I am about to have a RM 380 per kilogram fish!!

An Arabian Feast

As promised, I have posted the pictures of the Arabian feast in my photo blog. Please view the pictures here. By the way, it was a great night as we got the opportunity to socialize away from the college atmosphere

Relaxing Sunday

Rest..rest..rest. Today is the day of rest, and boy do I need it. It was an exhaustive and high energy past weeks that I had. With the conclusion of the Exercise Qaumi Baqa and presentation of our group research paper on Saturday, I now can take a breather. Not for long anyway, just two days, as on Tuesday we will start our final exercise, that is Blue Star 2.

Last evening I was invited for a feast by our colleague from UAE. It was a feast indeed as we had typical Arabian fare of lamb and flavored rice in a large dulang. The offer was two whole lambs (just for 10 of us) as we bersila and dig in with our hands. Our colleague from Jordan showed us how to break the head, to take out the brain, apparently a delicacy (I decided to miss that part, as I concentrated the part I am familiar; the leg part).

This morning I had a `lamb hangover' and decided to sleep in. Woke up at 9.30 and had some fruit yoghurt for breakfast. At noon, I went for a walk round the naval complex (about 5 km) and decided to stop at the grocery for fruits. For Rp 100 (about RM 6.20), I bought 12 oranges, 2 breakfast fruit yoghurts and a can of condensed milk (picture at left). Not bad.
This afternoon, I will spend some relaxing time, recharging myself, and also catch up with my reading.

Next posting will be a write-up about our group research presentation and I will also attempt to post some pictures of the lamb feast (hopefully the host will bring his thumb drive tomorrow).

Time with the President of Afghanistan

Today we had a great guest speaker; in the form of President of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai. He went on record with the local media, so I can safely relate some of the points he has said and not to worry about the college "non-attribution" policy. He was dressed in the standard shalwa kameez with the trademark green robe and songkok. He spoke in good English. He started the talk by reminiscing his time in the 70s. When he was living in Quetta, whenever he came to Islamabad, he used to take a walk from Faisal mosque to NDC - then under construction.

Specific to Afghanistan, he said, the nation had suffered 30 years of misery, war and destruction, a loss of resources, and most importantly, a loss of time. They suffered under Soviet occupation and later the Taliban. The Taliban turned out to be the biggest misery for Afghanistan because they intensified the war. The Taliban also enraged the population. They destroyed some of the country's educational institution and stopped children from going to school. They also beat women for simple things like wearing white shoes outdoors or even shot and killed them, just for being outdoors with their husbands. Quite a number were publicly hanged, watched by the thousands (I remember seeing a documentary on this event on Astro). Without being too specific, he mentioned it was a flawed policy of Pakistan to support the Taliban. The world stood and watched while Afghanistan suffered. Then came 9/11 and suddenly Afghanistan became relevent. Within a month and a half the evil forces of Taliban was defeated. Apart from the outside assistance, the will of the Afghan people was the key, as by then they did not support the Taliban. The President emphasized many times, that the will of the Afghan people are always strong as further evidenced in the last election. He told a story about voting in last elections, saying that one old lady had shown up to vote and wanted to vote twice, once on her own, and once for her daughter, who was at home giving birth to a child. The poll workers told her she could not do this, the law prohibited it. So, the old lady voted, and then walked home, walked back the same day with her daughter who had just given birth, so that she could vote. A journalist asked another old lady why she had made two long arduous trips just to cast one vote - to which she answered that she was voting to ensure a better future for her children and grandchildren.

The President later turned to the crux of Afghan - Pakistan relations. The tone was more on economic and the need of regional peace and stability. He said globalised world should bring all the nations in the region together. Five years ago exports from Pakistan were $25 million. 3 years ago they had risen to $600 million and today those exports stand at $1.2 billion. This expansion means more jobs, more companies, more shops and labor - in the end it means Pakistani's are better off. The average Pakistani has more money today than 5 years ago. This trade, if expanded to the Central Asian Region could reach $4 or $5 billion. He made a simple but effective remark by saying that a stable and prosperous Afghanistan is good for Pakistan. When he talked about the concept of "strategic depth", I imagined it took all the Pakistani military officers by surprise because the officers were used to that concept as something military in nature. The President was however referring the concept in economic terms. Afghanistan is going to be a better partner as it grows. A poor friend is a liability. Pakistan and Afghanistan must walk together into the future - a future of prosperity and education. He seeks this future as a human being, as an Afghan, and as a Muslim and a neighbor.

Later he related an interesting stroy. When he went back to Afghanistan from Quetta, he crossed the border on motorbike. The Taliban did not recognised him when he moved from villages to villages until Kandahar. He was fortunate. At the time also within a span of two hours from 9 to 11 in the morning, three events took place; he was elected as the interim president, the surrender of mullah omar's forces and an american bomb dropped near him!! (one of my US colleague at the college; a F16 driver was in Afghanistan at that time - maybe he was the pilot).

At the end, the President entertained six questions from the audience. Like before, I was not impressed by the questions posed. The questions were not fitting and the audience really missed a great opportunity. One question was about the fencing at the border to check the terrorists. The President assertively answered by saying that the fence will not solve the problem with terrorism. The answer should be finding the source and what the fence is going to do is to divide the people. On another question about Iranian nuclearisation, he said he never believe on the need of nuclear weapons. I intended to seek the president's opinion on the state of Muslim ummah, in the wake of the gulf between the west and Islam, but we ran out of time. My opportunity was reduced to only shaking hand with him. Overall, a good session. Wishing to have more time like this.

Two Ticks in the Box

"Final Printing of my Paper"

Two in the box in one go. Phew!! Finally, I deposited two of my major works to the faculty today. It was my Individual Research Paper and our Group Research Paper. I am not required to defend my IRP, but for the GRP we will be presenting it this Saturday. Our only hope is that the faculty and course participants suffer some form of "exercise fatigue" so that they refrain from asking too many questions.

The Thesis statement of my Paper is as follows:
In the post-Cold War era, most regional countries especially Southeast Asian nations, give priority to their economic development, which is considered vital to their national interests. The presumed existence of large oil and gas deposits in the South China Sea and the strategic importance of shipping lanes between East Asia, the Middle East and Europe have increased the risk of confrontations over disputed areas in Southeast Asia.
The South China Sea dispute is the most complex maritime dispute in the world and is fast becoming a common source of conflict in the post- Cold War period. There are fears that the South China Sea disputes, if not properly managed, may disrupt the freedom of navigation in the area, in turn, trigger a great power rivalry in the Asia-Pacific. There is an urgency of averting these possible confrontations through a peaceful settlement.
In the current geo strategic environment, the roles of all the stakeholders in the issue are very critical. China being the central focus of this issue, stakes its claims to almost the entire portion of the sea, including the Paracel and Spratly group of islands, based on historical factors and occupation. Other claimants based their cases on jurisdictional rights for coastal states over offshore seabed resources as set out in the 1982 United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea. ASEAN, being a regional organization and having four of its members as claimants, is very much interested to see a peaceful settlement for the sake of regional stability. Finally, the United States has vital interests at stake, including maintenance of freedom of navigation and protecting the credibility of its forces as a balancing and stabilizing presence in the Asia-Pacific region.
Military skirmishes have occurred numerous times in the past and currently, efforts are being made to find peaceful solution to this dispute. A range of preventive diplomatic mechanisms and approaches are being used to dampen tensions, forestall the outbreak of conflict, and provide the basis for a political settlement. Nevertheless, despite all these efforts, the dispute remains a principle irritant in the region.
With the above backdrop, the paper will attempt to discuss and analyze the dispute, vis-Ã -vis the interests of all the claimants and other stakeholders. At the end, the paper will offer some useful recommendations.

A portion of my spoken text for GRP is as follows:
An Overview

1. A great deal has been written on madrassahs in the West, in the wake of the 9/11 and U.S. war on terrorism. An impression has been created that madrassahs in Pakistan are a source of Islamic extremism and the breeding ground of terrorism. Madrassahs have been dubbed as ‘dens of terror,’ ‘jihad factories,’ etc. The media campaign has led to a general perception, where madrassahs have become synonymous with terrorism and terrorist training camps. It has also been suggested by many Western scholars that there is an inherent relationship between what is taught in the madrassahs and religious extremism, Talibanism, militancy and even terrorism.

2. The London bombings have been a recent incident that gave fuel to the cause of anti-Islamists. One of the accused in the case is said to have visited Pakistan prior to the incident where he is said to have been somehow brainwashed in a few sessions – his lifelong education in British schools notwithstanding! Pakistan has had to pay a heavy price, because of the perceived linkage of madrassahs with militancy. A general view has thus prevailed, that spread of Islamic extremism and terrorism cannot be controlled, unless madrassahs are closed down strictly. However, our research showed that these assertions lose weight, in the face of following facts:-

a. Firstly, if the madrassah education is the only or the main cause of Islamic militancy and radicalism, why did these tendencies not manifest themselves before the 1990s? After all, the curriculum of the madrassahs has remained the same for about 150 years.

b. Secondly, madrassah curriculum is pacifist in its orientation. Its approach to Islam is ultra-conservative, literalist, legalist, and sectarian, but not revolutionary, radical, or militant.

c. Thirdly, there is absolutely nothing in the madrassah curriculum that can be deemed as promoting or encouraging militancy or terrorism.

d. Next, recently, the New York Times made a study on educational backgrounds of terrorists behind some of the most significant recent terrorist attacks against Westerners. It was found that the majority of them were college-educated, often in technical subjects like engineering. In the four attacks, firstly, the World Trade Center bombing in 1993, secondly, the attacks on the American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998, thirdly, the 9/11 attacks, and lastly, the Bali bombings - 53 percent of the terrorists had either attended college or had received a college degree. The terrorists in the study, on average appear to be as well educated as many Americans, as evident from he following:-

(1) The 1993 World Trade Center attack involved 12 men, all of whom had a college education.

(2) The 9/11 pilots, as well as the secondary planners identified by the 9/11 commission, all attended Western universities, a prestigious and elite endeavor for anyone from the Middle East. The lead 9/11 pMohammedohamed Atta, had a degree from a German university in urban preservation, while the operational planner of 9/11, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, studied engineering in North Carolina. It was also found that, two-thirds of the 25 hijackers and planners involved in 9/11 had attended college.

(3) Of the 75 terrorists that were investigated, only nine had attended madrassas and all of them were involved in only one attack - the Bali bombing. Even in that instance, five college-educated ‘masterminds’ - including two university lecturers - helped to shape the Bali plot.

e. And lastly, the following few incidents would help put the matters in even clearer perspective:-

(1) Charles Whitman, the university student who climbed up the university tower in Texas in 1966 with an arsenal of weapons, and then killed 17 of his fellow students and teachers, was not a product of madrassahs.

(2) The Columbine school massacres were committed by schoolboys, who did not receive their primary education in madrassahs.

(3) The followers of Charles Manson, who believed that he was God and blindly obeyed his orders to go on a killing spree, were not educated in madrasahs.

(4) Timothy McViegh certainly did not attend a madrassa.

(5) The thousands who accepted without question orders given by Rev. Jim Jones to commit suicide in Jonestown, Guyana, in 1978, were not educated in madrassahs.

Reasons for Madrassah Militancy

3. Notwithstanding what I have just presented, presence of radicalism in a few madrassahs cannot be ruled out. The question is, how did that radicalism come about even in that very small number of madrassahs? Here we present two considerations.

a. Western Interests. The matter has been investigated at length by many scholars, Government agencies, think tanks etc., and the general conclusion is that, “radicalism in some madrassahs in Pakistan was an extraneous phenomenon. It was brought into madrassahs by international and domestic political actors who wanted to use the religious capital and manpower of these madrassahs for their own objectives. It was only after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 that some madrassahs on the northern and southern border areas of Pakistan, which always had a majority of their students from Afghanistan, came to be associated with the Afghan jihad movement.

b. Afhgan Refugees Factor. It is estimated that out of the five million Afghan refugees in hundreds of refugee camps in Pakistan, forty percent were school-age children, and many of them orphans. A number of organizations were formed to provide them with free food, shelter, and basic skills of how to read and write, along with some Islamic education. Most of these organizations came about in the 1980s, with active funding from the West. These were in fact military training camps, where some religious education was also imparted, and were established with active US support to strengthen the fight against the Soviets. The fact that they were, from their very inception, conceived as militant training camps and were given a cover of madrassahs to legitimize their operations and solicit funds from all over the Muslim world, has conveniently been relegated to the collective amnesia that our Western friends have so often demonstrated!

4. The story of these madrassahs is thus integrally linked with the story of Afghan jihad of the 1980s and of the Cold War that created the political conditions for this jihad. Therefore, the answers to the questions, one, who established these militant guised as madrassahs, two, why were they created, and three, who sustained them financially - have to be found in the West. Unfortunately for Pakistan these militant tendencies also found their way from the tribal belt of the NWFP to the rest of the country and linked up with sectarian violence. Like what was said by Mr. Moin Uddin Haider during his lecture, this is one of the “gifts” for Pakistan.

5. Some of the militant groups that are alleged to be products of madrassahs are:

a. The Taliban. The Taliban may be an Afghan movement, but because of the strong Pakistani component, their rise is associated to madrassahs. The Deobandi madrassahs are considered to have inspired this movement.

b. Harkat-ul-Mujahideen. The Harkalul Mujahideen was the successor of the Harkat-ul-Ansar after it was declared a terrorist organization by the United States. A Deobandi-Wahabi group, it was believed to be under the influence of Maulana Samiul Haq's Jamiat-ul-Ulema-lslam as well as the Sipahe Sahaba Pakistan.

c. Lashkar-e-Taiba. The Lashkar is the militant wing of the Markaz Dawa wal-Irshad, an Ahle Hadith-Wahabi organization based near Lahore. It emerged as a major guerrilla group in the late nineties.

d. Hizbul Mujahideen. This group is said to have operated in Kashmir and was alleged to have links with the Jamaat-i-Islami. Most of its members however were considered to college and university graduates and not madrassah educated.

e. Hizbe Wahadat. A militant Shia organization having its power base is in the Hazara region of Afghanistan. It had links with Iran as well as Shia organizations in Pakistan including the Tehrik-e-Jafria Pakistan and Sipahe Mohammed.

f. Sipahe-Sahaba Pakistan. A hard-line Sunni political-cum-militant organization with an anti Shia bias. It was alleged to have been supported by certain Arab donors.

g. Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. It was a separate militant wing of the Sipahe Sahaba Pakistan.

h. Sipahe Mohammad Pakistan. A militant Shia organization.

Madrassah Point of View

6. The madrassahs naturally take exception to the vilification that they are subjected to. The madrassahs representatives at large have seldom claimed that the madrassahs as an education system does not have limitations. The lack of opportunity to study modern subjects, the dated teaching methods and the sectarian biases are some areas needing improvements despite substantial work done in this regard. It is however said that the West had no reason to deem madrassahs as a threat for its cultural identity. Some arguments are:-

a. Firstly, the International Crisis Group itself has concluded that, out of the thousands of madrassahs operating in the country, only 10-15% are alleged to be involved in sectarian violence or in acts of international terrorism. The assumption of involvement of Madrassahs in terrorism or in its glorification is based mainly on reports that Taliban were mostly the students of Pakistani Madrassahs. Madrassahs have also been quite categorical in condemning terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and their stance against sectarian violence and militancy is likewise clear.

b. Secondly, policy makers in US and Europe know little about the manner in which institutions of Islamic learning function and what they stand for. There is a requirement therefore for more interaction to enhance awareness. As a case in point, a US Ambassador in Pakistan having visited a madrassah remarked, ‘whatever she had been told and whatever - she herself saw were two entirely different things’.

c. And lastly, in the sub-continent during the last three hundred years, many of the voices calling for Madrassah reforms and appropriate changes in its syllabi were raised from within the Madrassah itself.

Perceptions and Reality

7. The linkage between madrassahs and terrorism is now almost a ‘given in’ so far the West, or even part of our own intelligentsia is concerned. In fact whereas the West is mainly concerned with terrorism, own citizens are also apprehensive about sectarianism, and the nation has a much higher stake in eradicating related causes. The apparent finality of the conclusion of ‘madrassah - terrorism linkage’, betrays a ‘denial mode’, to face the fact that there may very well be other causes, most due to West’s own creation. But such conclusion would amount to adopting the same approach that the West is criticized for. Clearly there is chasm, and a sense of self righteousness, and there is a need to ascertain as to why the same facts lead to differing perceptions. Three reasons stand out:-

a. Role of Religion. Muslims concept of religion is substantially different than the West. Whereas Muslims consider religion to pervade all spheres of life, the West restricts religion to personal life only. This secular approach has its roots in the Europe of Middle Ages when the Papacy was responsible for widespread coercion, suppression and extremism in the society. The bitter experiences resulted in reform movements, named varyingly as like the 'Renaissance', 'Reformation' or 'Modernism.' The role of religion in society was considered a threat for humanity that had to be ruthlessly eliminated, through force if necessary.

b. Western mindset. There seems to be a deep rooted concept among the West that the cultural gulf between the East and the West cannot be bridged. The ready acceptance of the so-called theory of ‘The Clash of Civilizations' propounded by Huntington, affirms this perception about cultural incongruity. There has hardly been any debate on his assertions that following the demise of Communism, Islam poses the greatest threat to the West and that the West has to be prepared to counter it. It is natural, that such damning declarations color judgments and drive public opinion. The word terrorism is now subconsciously synonymous with Islam - public pronouncements to the contrary notwithstanding. The deduction that it is an inevitable priority to do away with all those institutions, which promote Islamic learning, or at least reform them in a manner as to change their mission and character then becomes a natural one. The cartoon debacle, proved our point of the western mindset linking Islam with terrorism. In the interest of press freedom, they portrayed the Prophet (pbuh) as a terrorist. “nauzubillah”. Indeed, the most heinous crime imaginable against Islam.

c. Globalization. Globalization is both a unifying and disrupting force at the same time. It will thrive on compassion and understanding of cultural differences. It has empowered the individual but also threatened cultures as Western societies aggressively pursue their commercial interests. This combination generates fear of asymmetric reactions especially from the Muslims who are perceived as somewhat obstinate in defending values and cultural identity. In the eyes of the West therefore, Islamic countries need more attention for promoting modernism.

Cartoon Debacle and Disaster Management

It was bound to happen - today we've learned that students marched from the Parliament building to the Diplomatic Enclave (about 2 km from our college) to protest against the publication of blasphemous cartoons in Danish newspapers. These protests apparently turned violent, and the police had to use batons and teargas to break up the demonstration. A number of DC plated cars were targeted and destroyed. Other part of the country, in the cities of Lahore and Peshawar, more violents have been demonstrated with two death in Lahore. Nothing to be alarmed about, not yet anyway, as we are busy in the college, with little time to venture out.

On this cartoon row, I have tried to refrain from making any comments. The only thing in my mind is that we, the muslims are at the loosing end if we continue with these types of violent protests and demonstrations. We are actually falling into the trap of the westerners, affirming the linkage between islam and terrorism. Islam is a religion of peace and moderation and we always potray that to the west. Whatever efforts that has been done were erased with these acts of wanton distruction by these group of demonstrators. We demonstrate, by all means because what was done by the Danish paper was not good at all, however why must there be arson and senseless killings?

Today is indeed a long day for me. We had several presentations from the focal groups and chairman of the disaster committee. I thought the presentation by the chairman was very good, with clarity in vision and very focused. It came out quite clear that the country need to reconceptualise and revamp the disaster management. Conceptually, he proposed a thrust on prevention and mitigation. The working mechanism involved three tiered approach, the federal, provincial and district. It is somewhat similar to MKN Arahan No 20 that we have in Malaysia. To be honest, I am somewhat surprised to learn that Pakistan is still a bit behind in this, even though the country has been besieged with disasters many times. The answer is actually, the country depends so much on the military that the civil institutions becomes dysfunctional. The 8 Oct earthquake was a major wake up call.

After the presentations, I stayed at the college to supervise the binding of my research paper. Glad to say that by tomorrow, the job will over and one major headache gone. The next big one will be paper presentation by our group (three of us) this Saturday. We had actually turned in the product yesterday. We had our first rehearsal today and hoped to squeeze three or four more before Saturday.

As I missed lunch today, it was a real surprise when we were invited for early dinner at the DA's house. Rezki indeed as I was just about to put the sausages in the pan when I received the call. Apparently, it was his wife's birthday and we had mee soup (with ayam & udang), nasi goreng and other delicacies. Alhamdulillah.

Out of time for jogging and gym work today. However, I did have extra time at the gym yesterday doing treadmill, bench press and weight training - and of course floor exercise for my back.

By the way, Dato' Zulhasnan, if you are reading this, once again I would like to congratulate you for being elevated as a full minister. Saya tumpang gembira dan mendoakan kesejahteraan dan kejayaan dalam tanggungjawab yang telah diamanahkan. Wishing for a better Kuala Lumpur!!

I FOUND YOU

I FOUND YOU
You're the one I couldn't forget
Even at the last breath I take
You're the one my heart longs for
Because I found real joy in you
You're the one I'll love so true
For you gave me same love too
You're the one I needed most
For I am so in love with you
You light my life and turn it right
And put a music in my heart
How can I thank you for all the things
And for the love you've given me?
I can never ask for more because
My life has been complete since
I FOUND YOU!

Happy Valentine's Day
from your one and only true big love sick bear in chapati land.
This beach..do you remember? Twenty-six years ago, I said the three magic words to you!! Our favorite spot is gone now...taken up by the intruding waves, but the wonderful times we had here are always in my mind.
Teluk Cempedak, will be always in my memories... Through the years, our love will be stronger and fonder... like the waves pounding the beach ... through the years...

THROUGH THE YEARS
(Kenny Rogers)

I can't remember when you weren't there
When I didn't care for anyone but you
I swear we've been through everything there is
Can't imagine anything we've missed
Can't imagine anything the two of us can't do

Through the years
You've never let me down
You turned my life around
The sweetest days I've found
I've found with you
Through the years
I've never been afraid
I've loved the life we've made
And I'm so glad I've stayed
Right here with you
Through the years

I can't remember what I used to do
Who I trusted whom, I listened to before
I swear you've taught me everything I know
Can't imagine needing someone so
But through the years it seems to me
I need you more and more

Through the years
Through all the good and bad
I knew how much we had
I've always been so glad
To be with you
Through the years

It's better everyday
You've kissed my tears away
As long as it's okay
I'll stay with you
Through the years

Through the years
When everything went wrong
Together we were strong
I know that I belonged
Right here with you
Through the years
I never had a doubt
We'd always work things out
I've learned what love's about
By loving you
Through the years

Through the years
You've never let me down
You've turned my life around
The sweetest days
I've found I've found with you
Through the years
It's better everyday
You've kissed my tears away
As long as it's okay
I'll stay with you
Through the years

heure du dejeuner

Lunch. Last week we had two days free as Pakistan celebrated the 10th of Muharram or Asyura commemorating the sacrifice of Hazrat Hussein. We took the opportunity to cook our own lunch. We bought our necessities from the "covered market" down town. To our standard, it came out Fantastic... the hard part was the cleaning up the mess.
Please view the pictures here

Jogging Competition and Exercise Research

Yesterday manage to steal some time for my gymnasium routine. Did some weight training and floor exercises for my back. I felt really good after that. Will try to maintain that routine from time to time.

After a long exhaustive week, today we had some fun. It was a bright and beautiful Sunday with the temperature just nice for an outing. The faculty organized a jogging competition cum family day. We were categorized into age groups and of course yours truly was in the `most matured’ group. The run was only for 2.5 km and it took us round the campus to finish off at the cricket ground. I actually came out fifth overall and third among the allied participants. First among the allied participants, was Steve Sherry (he ran like a horse) and second was Al-Jabri. Anyway, it was good fun. After that, we had some games for the families and kids. We finished off the morning with an excellent brunch.
Please view JOGGING PHOTOS HERE

In the afternoon, we had presentation rehearsal for the “prime minister”. My contribution was on the historical perspective of earthquakes in Pakistan and the sub-continent. The overall aim is for the “Disaster Committee” and the “Prime Minster” to formulate policies and strategies in the management of future disasters. In my research, I discovered some interesting facts, such as Pakistan is actually situated right in the middle of a “fault line” of two tectonic plates (Indian and Eurasian Plates). For the last 100 years, the sub-continent had experienced 19 major earthquakes. Most disastrous for Pakistan was the Quetta earthquake in 1935 and the recent earthquake in Kashmir and Northern Area. My counterpart (a naval colleague) did his research on other area of disasters that Pakistan is also prone of, like floods, tsunamis and cyclones. Here I present part of my research.

EARTHQUAKE

Why Earthquake?

1. On 8 October 2005, a devastating earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter Scale – with its origin just a few kilometers below the city of Muzaffarabad – struck northern Pakistan. The magnitude of the earthquake was such that it collapsed mountains, altered the course of waterways, and wiped entire villages off the face of the earth. The earthquake caused widespread destruction in northern Pakistan, and did some damage in Afghanistan and northern India. The worst hit areas were Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), and western and southern parts of the Kashmir valley in the Indian-administered Kashmir. It also affected some parts of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the city of Karachi experienced a minor aftershock of magnitude 4.6. It was a devastating earthquake by any standard, and it resulted in tremendous loss of life and property. Some 400,000 houses were destroyed and over 73,000 people perished – including some 35,000 children. On that fateful Saturday morning, tens of thousands of families lost an entire generation – children who left for school but never returned. Over 135,000 people were injured – mostly women, children and the elderly – with thousands becoming disabled and paraplegics.

2. There have been many secondary earthquakes in the region, mainly to the northwest of the original epicenter. 147 aftershocks were registered in the first day after the initial massive quake that hit at 8:52 am, one of which had a magnitude of 6.2 (a tremor of magnitude six is rated as a "strong" earthquake). Twenty-eight after-shocks occurred with a magnitude greater than five during four days after the principal quake and even eleven days after the big one, there were still major quakes. To date, the Meteorological department said that more than 1,500 aftershocks with intensity of more than 3 on the Richter scale had been recorded since the powerful Oct. 8 earthquake. The latest aftershock, measuring 4.4, was experienced on 09 Feb 06.

3. Pakistan is subject to frequent seismic disturbances because the tectonic plate under the subcontinent hits the plate under Asia as it continues to move northward and pushing the Himalayas even higher. The earth surface is broken into seven large and many small moving map (see map). These plates, each about 50 miles thick, move relative to one another an average of few inches a year. Three types of movement are recognized at the boundaries between plates; convergent, divergent and transform-fault.

4. Map depicting tectonic plates shows India subcontinent and Eurasian landplate divide throughout Pakistan and Kashmir where earthquake activity is common.

5. During the 20th century, improvements in seismic instrumentation and greater use of earthquake-recording instruments (seismographs) worldwide enabled scientists to learn that earthquakes tend to be concentrated in certain areas, most notably along the oceanic trenches and spreading ridges. By the late 1920s, seismologists were beginning to identify several prominent earthquake zones parallel to the trenches that typically were inclined 40-60° from the horizontal and extended several hundred kilometers into the Earth. These zones later became known as Wadati-Benioff zones, or simply Benioff zones, in honor of the seismologists who first recognized them, Kiyoo Wadati of Japan and Hugo Benioff of the United States. The study of global seismicity greatly advanced in the 1960s with the establishment of the Worldwide Standardized Seismograph Network (WWSSN) to monitor the compliance of the 1963 treaty banning above-ground testing of nuclear weapons. The much-improved data from the WWSSN instruments allowed seismologists to map precisely the zones of earthquake concentration worldwide. As early as the 1920s, scientists noted that earthquakes are concentrated in very specific narrow zones. In 1954, French seismologist J.P. Rothé published this map (below) showing the concentration of earthquakes along the zones indicated by dots and cross-hatched areas.
Earthquake In Subcontinent

6. For the 21st Century, the subcontinent has witnessed quite a number of devastating earthquakes. In all the earthquakes during past one hundred years the subcontinent has experienced nineteen major earthquakes, as tabled below:

7. The above table indicated the magnitude of each earthquakes against the number of casualties. This, however does not indicate the true strength of the earthquake as obviously casualties alone does not make the criteria of the magnitude, as casualties depend on population density in that given area. Nevertheless, damage due to an earthquake is effected by the following:
a. Earthquake characteristics, that is peak ground acceleration, duration of strong shaking and frequency of shaking motion.
b. Site characteristics, that is:
(1) distance between the origin (epicures) of earthquake,
(2) intervening geology,
(3) soil properties at site,
(4) natural period of vibration of site, and
(5) structural characteristics, that is:
(a) vibration properties of the structure,
(b) condition of structure, and
(c) seismic capability of the structural design.

8. Needlessly, the preceding table showed that the three most devastating earthquakes (in terms of casualties) happened in Kangra (1905), Quetta (1935), Gujarat (2001) and Northern Area of Pakistan (2005).

Kangra

9. The Kangra earthquake of 4 April 1905 in the north-west Himalaya was the first of several devastating 20th century earthquakes to occur in northern India. The Punjab Government estimated that more than 20,000 of its 375,000 epicentral population were killed, and that 100,000 buildings were destroyed by the earthquake. Farming was disrupted by the loss of 53,000 domestic animals and extensive damage to a network of hillside aqueducts that had been constructed over many generations. The economic costs of recovering from the earthquake were estimated at 2.9 million (1905) rupees.

Quetta

10. After great Kangra earthquake of 1905, thirty years later, Quetta was devastated by another great earthquake 30 May 1935. Casualties were far higher than in Kangra and adjoining areas. Nearly 35,000 people are believed to have been killed, most of those fatalities in Quetta alone. This is the deadliest known earthquake in Indian the sub-continent, before the recent earthquake of 8 October 05. Tremors were felt over much of Pakistan and as far away as Agra in India. No uplift was found in thrust faults to the southwest of Quetta by surveys carried out after the earthquake. However, 20 centimeters of uplift was recorded to the west of the town. Ground deformation extended for 105 kilometers from the south side of the Chiltan range to Kalat, which was mostly in the form of 2-20 centimeter cracks in alluvium. The ground on the western side of the cracks near Mastung was found to have risen on average up to 80 centimeters while in some places the earth was heaved up several meters. Near Mastung Road railway station, the cracks ran across the Quetta-Nushki railway and deforming and offsetting the tracks vertically. These cracks indicate that the quake was associated with a zone of faults that run along the eastern edge of the Chiltan range extending southwards toward Mastung and Kalat. This leads to the understanding that the earthquake occurred on a strike-slip fault within the Ghazaband Fault Zone. The 1931 Sharigh and Mach earthquakes which occurred nearby are believed to have increased stresses on a fault in this zone which failed in 1935. An updated epicentral location for this earthquake was derived from P-wave data from 231 stations, using present ISC procedures and is in the vicinity of earlier epicentral locations.11. The town of Quetta saw most of the fatalities, and this earthquake has since been known as the Quetta Earthquake. The civil lines was completely destroyed and up to 15,000 people are thought to have perished here alone. The police lines, the darbar hall, the civil and mission hospitals and the club were ruined. A few reinforced concrete structures and the new railway quarters escaped with minor damage. The cantonment suffered much less damage, but a few buildings did collapse. That too was confined to a kilometer wide stretch that lay along the civil lines and the Durani Nullah, one of two watercourses that ran through the town. The fort was also damaged and many buildings collapsed. In the Royal Air force lines, the hangers at the airfield were all that were left standing though they were badly damaged. Every aircraft was rendered unsafe to fly. Piped water was not disrupted in Quetta and power supply carried on with a restricted load. Up to 26,000 people are believed to have been killed in Quetta alone and a few thousand bodies were left buried in the ruins. Most of the administration in Quetta was killed, but troops from the military base organized rescue quickly. They evacuated survivors and cordoned off the town to prevent looting and the outbreak of epidemic as well as provided protection and salvaging property from destroyed structures. They also carried out mass burials or cremations of the dead. Letters written during that period by survivors contain vivid descriptions of the earthquake and its aftermath.

Gujarat

12. On 26 January 2001 an earthquake registering 7.9 on the Richter scale devastated the Indian state of Gujarat. It was the second largest recorded earthquake in India, the largest being in 1737, and was the worst natural disaster in India in more than 50 years. The earthquake struck at approximately 8.46am local time, so people were up and about and less likely to be trapped in their homes than if it had been earlier. The epicentre was located 80 kilometers north-east of the city of Bhuj and the shock waves or tremors lasted about two minutes, followed by aftershocks for more than a month.
13. The scale of the impact of the earthquake is almost impossible to comprehend. The shock or seismic waves spread out in a 700 kilometer circumference from the epicentre, and within this area the devastation was immense. There were more than 25,000 deaths and 167,000 people injured. Four districts of Gujarat lay in ruin and altogether, 21 districts were affected. Around 300,000 families and at least 3 million children aged 14 and under were affected. Around 600,000 people were left homeless. In the city of Bhuj, more than 3,000 inhabitants of the city lost their lives, the main hospital was crushed and close to 90% of the buildings were destroyed. Nothing was left of the town of Bhachau. The town resembled a quarry. There was significant damage to infrastructure with facilities such as hospitals, schools, electric power and water systems, bridges and roads damaged or destroyed. Many of medically trained personnel died.
14. The response within India was immediate. The national and state governments quickly provided assistance in many forms including cash, medical supplies, communications teams, shelters, food, clothing, transport and relief workers. More than 185 non-government organizations (NGOs), with their trained personnel and volunteers, sprang into action. Search and Rescue teams soon arrived from Switzerland, United Kingdom, Russia and Turkey to find and rescue survivors buried under debris. Relief teams and supplies soon followed from 38 countries as well as United Nations agencies and many international NGOs such as the Red Cross.

Conclusion

15. The 8 October earthquakes taught everybody that earthquake, or any large scale
disaster for that matter, is a fact of life and people have to design ways to cope with it. Although the classical argument has often cited the lack of financial resources as a reason for being unprepared for disasters and the very high economic cost of the disaster, the events following the 8 October disaster and subsequent research on the issue seem to have shown that lack of awareness and appropriate organization are the real reasons for all human and economic costs of disasters.

16. Two important elements emerge which need urgent attention to improve the earthquake safety scenario in Pakistan. Firstly, the institutional development whereby the discipline of earthquake engineering is nurtured and developed at a much larger number of locations, and secondly involvement of professional engineers and architects into the seismic agenda. Quality manpower in earthquake engineering is clearly in short supply and a major effort needs to be made to strengthen the same.

17. In a developing country such as Pakistan, basic poverty issues like food, shelter, health, and education remain the highest priority and natural disaster mitigation does not get the priority that it should. Amongst the major challenges ahead is to sensitize the policy makers, the politicians and the administrators to the issues of earthquake safety. With frequent damaging earthquakes, this is the right time to initiate a sustained and proactive effort in this direction.