It is again the time of
the year when we look back at the events and happenings
of the year just gone by and get ready to welcome the
New Year. Every year, before making a new start, The News
has a tradition to print a special report, which gives
a wrap up of the major events of the previous year so
that we may ponder over our past mistakes and follow the
good things in order to learn and seek better ways for
a better tomorrow. So let's go down the memory lane.
The year 2004 can be termed as the year of elections.
From US to Australia and from Afghanistan to India, everywhere
election brought surprises for political parties and analysts.
Bush won by a small margin the second term, while BJP
faced defeat at the hands of Congress giving Manmohan
Singh a chance to rule the country. In other countries
too, there were some upsets and some expected results.
On the political front at home, the rumours about a deal
with BB in the wake of Zaradari's release on bail (after
his eight year's detention), started a new political game
of hopes and expectations.
The year's most striking, rather embarrassing development
was the A Q Khan controversy over nuclear proliferation.
The matter was handled diplomatically and cautiously by
the Pakistan government.
On environment front, the worst disaster played havoc
with the lives of dozens of people who died in the second
largest city of Sindh, Hyderabad due to consumption of
polluted water of Manchhar Lake. Development in health
sector brought good news for patients in the form of "Cadaver
Organ Donation Bill" which was finally approved and
a legal base given with the hope that it may be adopted
by January 2005.
On the economic front, Pakistan showing a robust GDP growth
of 6.4%, said goodbye to IMF's 3-year poverty reduction
and growth facility (PRGF) programme. Pakistan had already
successfully launched Eurobond and the country has been
all geared up to launch the first Islamic bond "Sukuk"
in the international market in early next year.
On political front, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali after remaining
prime minister for 18 months, stepped down, while giving
the interim set up in the hands of ruling Pakistan Muslim
League (PML) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain. Chaudhry
Shujaat fulfilled the stopgap arrangement, till Shaukat
Aziz, the economist-turned-politician was allowed to contest
and step into the post of Premier.
The great Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Chairman PLO
took his last breath of life in 2004. The world mourned
his death with deep grief and sorrow. His succession by
Mahmoud Abbas is considered a turning point in the Palestinian
struggle for statehood.
As UN inspectors resigned and Dr Kelly killed himself
over the Iraq war scandal, it was proven without doubt
that the basis for attacking Iraq was wrong, e g evidences
of WMDs. Iraq remained a blazing battleground and Najaf,
Fallujah and in the end even Karbala became killing fields.
The year brought no good news for overall human rights
conditions in the country, especially for the women and
children, who had no respite during the year just ended.
However, Pakistani women who were struggling for the past
many years for a stringent law to contain the so called
Honour Killings practised under different terms and pretext
did manage to finally have a bill adopted by the Parliament.
Although the bill does not fulfill the actual purpose
for which it was sought, but it might be termed a step
in the right direction.
The year ended with one of the most horrific natural disasters
in recorded history: a 9.0 earthquake in the Indian Ocean
that spawned devastating tsunamis that killed at least
80,000 people from Thailand to Somalia. The official death
toll across 11 countries soared past 120,000 till filling
this report. This is the greatest human tragedy of the
year which will continue haunting the people for many
years to come.
With the start of 2005 the hope lingers that in the new
year things will take new shape and new solutions to the
old problems will emerge and we will be able to see a
prosperous and happy tomorrow as William Arthur Ward says:
"Another fresh new year is here . . . Another year
to live! To banish worry, doubt, and fear, to love and
laugh and give! This bright new year is given me to live
each day with zest . . . To daily grow and try to be my
highest and my best! I have the opportunity once more
to right some wrongs, to pray for peace!"
