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11/29/1956 - Jhelum District by Walter D. Friedenberg

INSTITUTE OF CURRENT V ORLD AFFAIRS Nedous Hotel Jhelum District The Mall Lahore Pakistan November Mr Walter S Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Aenue New York New York Dear Mr Rogers All Pakistan vided parts prefer quarter million vlllages sprinkling cltles Ii cities OO0 population But basic public administration district which West Pakistan East Pakistan Roughly district would American equivalent county Earlier month I accompanied Phil Talbot Jhelum District northern Punjab where spent visit talking officials clerks villagers Among delights touring countryside trying match roads latest which published trying bathroom barren house transform bucketful lukewarm On Jhelum district looks backed rectangle miles north south The broad River Jhelum flowing source Vale Kashmir southern border district The bolder strewn eroded hills Salt Range along border district parallel river northern North Salt Range broad parched plateau Less district smuare miles culti vated water crops wheat seeds pulses comes scanty rains wells The people district Punjab depend farming their livelihood would poorer Instead Jhelumites looked Army career soldier provides young escaPe dreari furnishes thousands families allotment pension checks raised considerably their meager incomes Soldiers There scarcely family district without uncle someone Army The capital district Jhelum inhabi tants Before Partition helum lumbering timber forests Kashmir floated river plains Now border closed trade stopped poorer Our first compound district headquarters Standing story plastered brick building bearing English Offlce relic British Empire At curtain matting flies intruders In courtyard fixed banyan aerial roots drooping shade score pleaders scrlbes depot legal talent litigants business court halls Theman charge Deputy Commissioner D C Sahib station This reverential terms I thought those behind medieval castle would The King huntlng Whatever personal qualities D C office itself authority prestige Since British D C Government person between villagers Government For Government collector revenue defender peace dispenser justice For people number representative Government regarded respnsi5le general their belng The customarily filled gazetted officer elite Indian Civil Service I C S A posting D C would civil servant tenth through thirteenth service regarded valuable grass roots schooling government respon sible position Now D C office administrative superintendent veteran those worked Government since sourly things changed Now D C after three years exclaimed flinging hands outward going gesture Youngboys scarcely university We fortunate older V Now there public contact D C dashed headquarters There efficiency And transfer rapidly We D C eight years present three months He complaints there increase D C staff despite increased functions protest impossibl I frankly there gross dissatisfaction resort illegal means The starting rupees month dearness allowance Why bones within It following morning eIght drove D C house hoping We night before again afternoon A bearer ushered living waited Abdul Qayam D C early thirties stocky pleasant steady A Punjabi birth tookan M A educa tional psychology University Lahore entered I C S following He first batch Civil Service Pakistan C S P successor I C S Pakistan quite senior cmrps numbering about In assignment Provincial Cabinet secretary gained himself nervou breakdown after three month become D C Jhelum because Of quiet districts WDF It became apparent however Abdl Qayam abouth there delng The traditlenal funatlons D C maintaining order cellectlng revenue remalnasc prime responsibilities Todo these assignments enough staff assistants Judicial duties which include primary appellate Jurisdiction there additional magistrate headquarters there assistant revenue officer authority stand D C collecting Headquartered D C compound technical heads departments inspector ofpolice health officer chief engineer inspector schools local government officer assistant registrar operatives Out western district divis under supervisory civil servants general powers Since Partition addition traditional functions district administration sheres The Government Qayam explained wated order New there great emphasis welfare development Oh there welfare development projects depended particu D C Now Government matter devoted these activities building roads hospitals schools tanks village storage ponds3 supervising local boards their development projects procuring distributing sugar needy The emphasis welfare development D C spoke Governmental effort devoted raising general living common development welfare atate These embodied First Five Year Plan Drafted three years slated final approval January respects already under The principal objectives Plan raise national income standard liing people mprove balance payments country increasing exports production substitutes imports increase opportunities useful employ country t0make steady progress providing social vices housing educatiOn health Social welfare increase rapldiy development especially East Pakistan other relatively deel0ped areas The targets Plan include million increase harvest foodgrains seven increase farmlands through irrigation projects etension Village Aid program villages euarter million housing units increase hospital building schools The implementing Plan estimated Rs billion According official exchange rupee equals U S cents This money Pakistan where example budget Central government Rs billion I mention Plan because already impressing itself Jhelum district AS drove through countryside passed around miles roads under construction dozens schools always newest building village taken tours village headmen inspect brick lined drainage system community At district headquarters D C chairman WDF3 newly organized Development Board composed himself nical heads Their function initiate supervise development schemes projects sanltatlon drainage projects improvement roads building health centers prevention erosion But D C spoke these things particular There funds these schemes level Now funds available Division there divisions West Pakistan mprising seven districts Rs For bigger schemes allocation Govern Couldn deve0pment projects worked community muscle power without sizable funds Yes stumbling block initiative towns villages absence sense community spirit general debility impsverished farmers reluctance delegate authority You laugh D C smiled Last meeting deputy missioners Divlslnal Commissioner Rawalpindi about afforestation I happened mention something about damage young trees brought about indiscriminate goats Well I appointed committee problem With other duties But would AS D C later talked staff aides Became apparent before increasing scope plexity public administration district technical staff members likely become important authoritative D C while remaining chief between Government Be directly engaged general administrator supervisory coordinating Furthermore seems generally assumed district government downward Local government represented scattered local boards village aDchayas these stronger prestige performance prform their modest concerns managing minor public works forming lesser Judicial functions Eyes still D C keeper public welfa As D C recuired spend nights month district Formerly horseback D C drives small European Actually Abdul Qayam tries country possible I rural areas I going abreast people doing thinking And since Parti D C sought I remember people would stand watch D C Now their troubles I dress indicating tailed Pakistani shirt voluminous white cotton trousers sandals foreigner We asked impression prestige D C D C carry weight former times Yes replied slowly D C bigger The Government doing consequently doing And I think these developmen projects properly under D C succeed This thing I Not I C A experts States wanted sponsor conserva demonstration district erosioproject He certain village arrange fields cultivators refused tractors He finally demonstration there small group spectators nothing accomplished I later should first I persuade farmers thing listen learn We asked about D C schedule I sleep I there How could easier Simple All I additional D C handle routine I spend r4ading reports signing papers And still I spade drafts Eighty business could handled subordinates capable doing This I these development schemes There relaxation There literally place Everybody always knows where D C moment This comment certainly seemed As goodbye drove small squadron aides officials plain citizens waiting porch interview D C The administrative superintendent among Among those talked district headquarters A C Assistant Commissioner carefully combed twenties third member Civil Service Pakistan Finishing University fellow graduates examination ervice career places select corps diplomats civil servants engineers police After academic Civil Service Academy La given minor duties East Pakistan England schooling Now apprentice D C tasting aspects D C official We found holding court session He seated cubicle His flannel seemed appropriate fashionable coffee shops Lahore particular rotko setting He waswry talked seemed Academy terms We dropped Administrator District Board Army major appointed three earlier His porary He under orders provincial government handle affairs board administration certain schools roads hospitals ferries parks because board super seded overstaying three office years E lected board lingered dislodge until They preparing electlon rolls Major election would February But I against adult suffrage volunteered We Pakistan should elect college system 3taStes In West people understand sacred thlng people WDF3 Jected sorts pressures tribal Caste political lords They candidates stand Turning development projects Commented No continue hundred years behind West The civic sense lacking He seemed leave We visited District Inspector SchoolS M A still making Re month Hew educa children properly salary asked Yes there tremendous demand education Since Partition always preface parents their children primary school There prlmary schools district compared before Partition there Schools middle schools special schools build schools school every miles He apparently liked sound repeated school every miles The enrollment Girls There three thousand Recruitment teachers difficult There great scarcity talent these hilly lands The centires starting Re month Re dearness allowance And should bright young dusty village The teachers usually middle school school graduates years normal school training In charge girls education strict gracious young Inspectress Schools among ether things there total girls school district District Inspector Schools District Inspectres__s Schools Our visit D C revenue assistant turned progress marching backwards With right primogeniture unrecog nized gradually become divided among ownlng scattered uneconomic holdings Government consoli dation efforts Punjab conducted years staff through persuasion effect useful consolidation three villages But laborious costly being nullified newly reinstituted operation Islamic inheritance which requires division property among daughters The ladies taking right iously further subdivides amidst family squabbles litigation One Sub D ivlslonal Officer spent trying cases court always three zamAn z_a_r women afternoon dropped Of Jhelum district M L A Members Provincial Legislative Assembly He supper A stocky young lawyer hoarse voice His father given Muslim League sanction Assembly decided runand turned dlspensation There contest Our explained there stages political development democratic nation First there period bribe voters bully WDF V argue At present backward state affairs Pakistan these thlngs With politi philosophy M L A bombastic monologue party politics Pakistan My eyelids lowered night I couldn compare D C M L A Both Same positions public trust One particu larly clean other almost sinister One spoke people affection concern other disdain And D C representative Government while M L A representa people The D C prestige authority administrator government which executive branch outweighs legislative The M L A seems place government minds people Received Dec