Apropos to a news item published in the English language press about the ill-approach to sensitive security issues that potentially threatens the security of our country. The news carried activities of a foreign NGO that continues to map flood devastated areas using Geographic Information System (GIS) despite having been declared as ‘security risk’ by NDMA. Going through the news item in detail, it reinforced my belief that we as a nation have an inbuilt tendency to remain oblivious of the issues that may potentially affect security of our homeland. This is also true for the state and its security related organs. We failed to comprehend the vital information that might have been collected by US helicopters’ operations in Pakistan in the northern areas of Pakistan during the 2008 earthquake.
Incidentally, there were reports also that CIA took active part in the operations and collected vital ground based information on Pakistan’s air surveillance capabilities, ground mapping and location of sensitive security installations. The US may have carried out its operations in Abbottabad to nab Osama Bin Laden based on ground based information collected by CIA during helicopter missions in aid to victims of 2008 earthquake. We are again ignoring activities of foreign based NGOs that may be carrying out their operations in aid of CIA or collecting vital data that could be used to feed the trajectory of an in-flight missiles targeting some sensitive security installation located in or around flood affected areas.
America has a history of capitalising on events venturing into which may provide multiple information for their military actions or otherwise. No doubt that in today’s satellite technology, mapping of any area is not difficult but physical digital survey eliminates all obstacles that an in-flight missile can counter while heading towards its predetermined target.
More disturbing was the news that the NDMA, as per its Chairman Dr Zafar Qadir, had declared its disassociation with ‘Information Management and Mine Action Program (IMMAP) operating under UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in January but despite repeated reminders to interior ministry, DG UN in the foreign ministry, economic affairs division and other homeland security organisations, the organisation continues to map flood hit areas using GIS.
As per the news item the organisation was hired by UNOCHA to develop a ‘single reporting format project’ to standardise the procedures. It failed to deliver on the requirement and in January this year, the contract was terminated. However, the unmonitored digital mapping of the ground by any of the state organisations continues unabated. The foreign ministry, on a query by the NDMA, informed that the mandate of IMMAP was to focus only on mines clearances and it usually operated in conflict zones. The foreign ministry also reminded that Pakistan was neither in a state of conflict nor a post-conflict country and therefore the ministry concurs with the NDMA that IMMAP discontinue all of its activities.
Muazzam Khan, the foreign ministry spokesman, has also said: “There are some international relief and aid organisations working outside their mandate in Pakistan. They are performing unauthorised functions, including spying under the garb of humanitarian efforts and have enrolled irrelevant foreigners to work in Pakistan.” The Economic Affairs Division is also on record to have admitted that IMMAP was not registered with the government adding that its activities should be a cause of concern for security agencies.
We have kept our eyes closed for long on activities of some people and organisations knowing in what mayhem those activities could end up. Terrorism and extremism are some of the manifests of some of those overlooked activities that we confront today fatally impacting on our image in the comity of nations. The dubious activities of foreign NGOs and even some of our own are a cause of discomfort for all Pakistanis and the state, therefore, must move to stop them working on agendas exceeding their mandates and foreign employees working therein those NGOs whose visas have expired must be sent home under much debated rule of law.
ENGINEER JAVED IQBAL
Islamabad