Spies
Spying is known as the second oldest profession in the world. It has continued for centuries, involving both friends and foes, with nations desperate to gather information on the activities of others. It is, therefore, hardly surprising that Pakistan and India would spy on each other. The mechanisms we are hearing about are also not new, with diplomatic missions used as a place where persons assigned to gather intelligence converge in the guise of diplomats. This has probably been the case for decades, and the expulsion of diplomats from the two countries by the other was a noted feature in the 1990s. The spying battle this time, however, comes with added vengeance and possibly added menace. This is because of the growing hostility between New Delhi and Islamabad, with both the civilian and military leaders on either side of the border making increasingly antagonistic comments and statements about intervention in their country. A few days back when India expelled a Pakistani diplomat for spying and even went so far as to name him and release footage of him, it was inevitable Pakistan would respond in kind. We have now expelled eight Indian diplomats, confirmed their identities and leaked photographs of them to the media. The recent heightening of tensions between the two countries has come about on account of India continually ramping up its campaign to demonise Pakistan. It’s defence for its campaign of violence in Kashmir is to blame Pakistan for orchestrating militant attacks in Kashmir and then accuse the liberation movement, which is organic and home-grown, of being directed by Pakistan. In turn, Pakistan responds to every militant attacks at home by hinting at Indian involvement and speculating that it is trying to undermine the CPEC.
It is very much possible that India would do everything to undermine the CPEC since it brings closer together its biggest political rival and biggest economic rival. Even if one were to accept this unfortunate situation, the responsibility lies with the rulers of both countries to be more responsible and try to keep tensions to a minimum. Yet, Modi continually ramps up the aggression, both on the diplomatic front by trying to isolate Pakistan internationally and on the military front through unprovoked firing along along the LoC prettied up in the garb of ‘surgical strikes’. Yet, eventually, Islamabad and New Delhi have to move towards talks once again. They cannot survive without dialogue and without negotiation on the issues that divide them. The spying business we are seeing simply adds to the brew cooking on the burner. It must not be allowed to spill over and create a situation which cannot be salvaged. Given the harsh approach seen from Modi, it is hard to see how the Indian government can be persuaded to show greater flexibility and a readiness to talk matters over. So far, it has shown no signs of a readiness to move in this direction, despite the fact that it has essentially failed in its mission of turning the world against Pakistan. There are dangers ahead in the region. These must be circumvented carefully and cautiously to save the billions of people who live in the region from the ill-effects of greater instability and greater tensions.
Twilight zone
For the past two days Lahore has been blanketed in a thick cloud made up of dust, toxic gases and other materials which according to experts pose a hazard to human health. Reportedly, 19 people have already died in smog-related traffic accidents. This smog is not a natural phenomenon but the result of man-made activities and the failure to control air quality standards. There are many theories on where the smog came from. The easiest has been to blame the Diwali fireworks in neighbouring Indian Punjab. But while Diwali may have had some part to play, it makes for only one of hundreds of ways in which we have made our cities and our environment dangerous for ourselves. Fumes from industrial emissions, coal plants, the brick kilns in and around Lahore and vehicular emissions are believed to be the worst culprits in releasing tiny materials into the air which are scientifically known as Particle Matter or PM. Soot, smoke and industrial emissions most often contribute to PM in the air and can be absorbed to some degree by trees, green spaces or open land. Lahore has lost many of these over the past decade. It seems the citizens of Lahore are now paying the price for a very skewed model of development. Already, global concern is being expressed about what is being called the Asian Brown Cloud, a layer of dust and smoke which seems to hang over the subcontinental region partially due to weather conditions, partially due to heavy pollutants in the air, and can be seen from the air by landing aircrafts. We need to try and understand why we, and other nations in the region, have failed to tackle pollution.
As we see people in Lahore don masks and rush to medical stores for drops to relieve rampant eye irritation, what is most disturbing is that the Pakistan Meteorological Department has reported these conditions could persist for up to two months. This is terrible news and also means that there will be no improvement in a situation which is causing a growing number of problems for almost every resident of a city that houses at least 10 million people. Other cities in the region, including at least five in India, as well as Rawalpindi and Peshawar, also have dangerously poor air quality. Medical experts in Lahore are already reporting a large number of cases of worsened asthma, notably among infants and children. Warnings have been issued to avoid outdoor exercise or play. Those who spend long periods of time outdoors, including security guards or traffic policemen, are most at risk. Our unpreparedness for such a situation can be indicated by the fact that no Air Quality Index measurements from any government source have been shared. The Punjab chief minister has set up a committee to assess the smog and advise people on precautionary measures. This however has done little to dampen anxiety and anger in Lahore, a city which many of its citizens complain has fallen victim to such ills as a result of poor planning, governmental failure to control industrial growth and policies which involve the shutting down of open space across the Punjab capital.