14.11.2013 Same tired rhythm: Pakistan-India ties
ISLAMABAD has noted the “cordial atmosphere” in which talks between Pakistani foreign affairs adviser Sartaj Aziz and India’s foreign minister, Salman Khurshid, were held. Meanwhile, New Delhi sugarcoated its advice to “colleagues from across the border” regarding a meeting between Mr Aziz and leaders of India-held Kashmir’s Hurriyat Conference that has generated controversy in India. That’s about all. There was a ceremonial call by the Pakistani delegation on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. There was some material for analysis in remarks such as: “This is not a dialogue that happens in isolation, this is a dialogue that is conceptual….” Originally meant to serve as calculated criticism of the Pakistani envoy’s meeting with the Hurriyat, this statement from Mr Khurshid is tempting enough to be used in support of an inclusive process. And can there be inclusiveness without the Kashmiris? Along with this old issue, the latest parleys in New Delhi raised new questions. For instance, how does the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif intend to balance pro-bilateral trade views with the Kashmir issue?
As for solutions, the sum of this latest engagement is an overdose of old diplomatic lingo that leaves the jury confused about the verdict. Those inclined to take this lingo at face value point out two prominent factors impeding movement on progress. One, Mr Aziz was touring India after weeks of an uneasy situation along the Pakistan-India borders. And two, there was a feeling that, with a general election due in India soon, the Congress government was not fully empowered to negotiate with Pakistan.
But perhaps this old approach has to change for officials and politicians on either side to commit more strongly to the peace effort. For how long will these statements of positive intent suffice? This latest review of “bilateral relations in a constrictive and forward-looking manner” is something we are all too used to accepting as a sign of development. Dialogue, by definition, is a forward-looking and constructive option. That needs no reiteration. It is the only choice and the choice that needs to be asserted most forcefully. It serves little purpose to go on habitually hailing the holding of talks between the ‘two hostile neighbours’ as a development worth celebrating without a strong follow-up that demands both speed and purpose. If those who chase peace and coexistence as an ideal are to appear in a better light than the official negotiators on either side, they will have to do much more than simply be satisfied with these resumption reruns.
A victory for all: LG polls
A FEARED clash of institutions has been averted and the uncertainty about local government elections is finally over. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court finally broke the ice and agreed to a new election schedule for three provinces as suggested by the Election Commission of Pakistan. The National Assembly must be happy, and the ECP must have heaved a sigh of relief. Often, it appeared the body charged with holding the elections was caught in the crossfire between the judiciary and the legislature, both equally adamant. While the apex court insisted on elections at the earliest possible date, the lawmakers vented their spleen twice. Last week, and again on Tuesday, the National Assembly passed unanimous resolutions seeking a postponement of the elections and saying things that must have sounded quite unpalatable to some ears. Both resolutions spoke against a hurried job and pointed out that elections held in haste wouldn’t be fair and transparent and the results would be anything but credible. But Tuesday’s resolution was couched in strong language, and Leader of the Opposition Khursheed Ahmad Shah minced no words as he accused the judiciary obliquely of “stubbornness” and pleaded with it not to destroy “this institution”.
The judiciary’s concerns over the delay in holding LG elections were legitimate. During the 2008-13 era, none of the provincial governments led by the PPP, PML-N and ANP held LG polls, the debate focusing often on the need or otherwise of amending the laws made by the Musharraf government. Thus, while the superstructure had democratic trappings, elected bodies at the grass roots were missing. The situation was even worse in ‘garrison areas’, which have been without elected local bodies for 14 years. The relief now granted to the ECP must serve the cause of a transparent election well. Millions of ballot papers are to be printed and many constituencies to be delimited. This breather will also enable the political parties to gear up for LG elections, which they themselves never had the foresight to organise.
Dire straits: Cricket team’s dismal run
THE Pakistan cricket team’s embarrassing run of defeats this year has thrown up serious questions about the future of the game in the country as the crisis deepens with each passing day. The team’s dismal run which began during the tour of South Africa in January this year, where Misbah-ul-Haq’s men bore the ignominy of a 3-0 whitewash in Test matches, has gone from bad to worse with only a couple of wins to show for nearly a dozen international matches played during this period. The unceremonious first round exit at the Champions Trophy in England in June, the humiliating Test loss against unranked Zimbabwe in Harare and the recent thumping at the hands of South Africa in the UAE have ruthlessly exposed the brittle foundations of Pakistan cricket. As opposed to the last many decades, observers of the game now appear convinced that cricketing talent in the country has all but dried up, and that no more top players are emerging from domestic cricket to provide a good back-up to the ageing brigade. While old warhorses like Younis Khan, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Hafeez and Imran Farhat have clearly struggled to provide Pakistan with the spine that had been the hallmark of their game in the past decade, newcomers such as Asad Shafiq, Umar Amin and Nasir Jamshed have not really lived up to expectations.
There are other drawbacks too. The defensive mindset of skipper Misbah and the perplexing failure of yet another foreign coach, Dav Whatmore, have irked both fans and experts. Needless to say, the legal wrangling in the PCB has compounded the problem. Nothing short of a drastic team overhaul and good governance at the top can rescue the game from its current predicament.