An Indian Border Security Force (BSF) soldiers patrols along the border fence at an outpost along the India-Pakistan border in Suchit-Garh, 36 kms southwest of Jammu on January 11, 2013. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
A protest by the Shiv Sena at the hockey stadium where the Pakistanis were practicing, ostensibly to protest the recent Line of Control (LoC) skirmishes between the armies of the two countries, led to the players being escorted out of the stadium for their own safety. This is obviously an outrage and one that we should not take lying down. But we also need to ensure that we do not bring a halt to the promising peace process over this. The Congress government in India, as with the PPP in Pakistan, is committed to giving peace a chance and the thuggery of a regional party should not come in the way. Ideally, the Indian government will condemn this intolerance and not let it be an unforeseen roadblock in the normalisation of relations.
This is not to say that without the Shiv Sena around both countries would be living in complete peace. Even within the world of sports, India has declared that it won’t play Pakistan at cricket in a third country and there is absolutely no way they are about to visit us. We are also just one more LoC incident or one terrorist attack in India away from regressing all the way back to 2002, when war seemed just a gunshot away. This is why, with so many potential problems ahead, the last thing either country should do is get too worked up about Shiv Sena’s antics.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 15th, 2013.
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It's a shame that the two neighbours cannot get along. While Pakistani media blasts India for myriad of reasons (better word would be "excuses", many of which are ridiculously concocted and lack any basis), it fails to look at its own messy house where filth is rotting and constantly piling up. One wonders - and this view is shared by many enlightened Pakistanis overseas who see their native country from the prism of greater objectivity -- how long this story called Pakistan will continue. For a story to be successful, you must have a good start, a body (also known as the plot) and a conclusion. All three factors are missing in the story called Pakistan. But what is really incredible is the caustic language of this editorial that losely uses attributes such as "fascistic" when referring to Shiv Sena which has never gone on a rampage against Muslims in reality and never attacked or directly harmed Pakistan. Its grouse against Pakistan is that it has resorted to terrorism and religious extremism, advocating killings of innocent and defenseless civilians, including small children and babies as it happened in Mumbai. This is a backlash to Pakistan's evil and shameful behaviour. If Pakistan wants to live in peace and harmony and work towards its prosperity and success, it would find in India an able and willing partner in this journey. But it has to be sincere, honest and resolute in its goal and not offer the usual lip service. But if Pakistan resorts to its old game of "denial and deception", as it has been happening from the time its still-born birth took place, India and Indians (regardless of their ideology) will turn against them and spit equally toxic venom against Pakistan and their citizens who are, anyway, despised by much of the world. The choice is yours, dear friends: remove the plague called terrorism, put your hate-mongering mullahs behind bars, treat your minorities (Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Parsis) with respect and dignity and let them exercise their rights, and mend your ways. We will welcome you then in the civilized world!
wow, this guy is comparing shiv sena with LeT. Brilliant !!!
India is doing a favour by talking to Pakistan. Not the other way around.
India has everything it wants, and wants nothing from Pakistan. It is Pakistan which hates the status quo and wants a revision of the status.
In that case why should India talk to Pakistan at all? India has already got the trade barriers lifted, I don't see any need India should not talk tough with Pakistan.
@CowKiller: You are wrong here. We consider Kashmir as integral part of India hence, no question of it being a dispute. And I also favour normalised and friendly relations with Pakistan.
Next in line are the Pakistani artists
Where is the editorial perspective?
Only Pakistan seems to be interested in Shiv Sena - no one in India bothers about them, except a few in Mumbai and people like you in Pakistan.
When are you going to address the real issues and concerns instead of excuses, deceit and lies?
@CowKiller: "...There can’t be peace between India and Pakistan until Kashmir issue is solved. ..."
India is at peace sir - it is Pakistan that is blowing itself to bits. If you consider Kashmir the "unfinished agenda from partition"; you must follow through on the most primordial of agendas from partition viz housing ALL OF THE MUSLIM population of India. Since Pakistan did not follow through on that agenda, there can be no other agendas.
hahaha, so now its shiv sena. in fact no pakistani should be allowed on indian soil. period!
Yes, you should not take the protection of your hockey players lying low. But India should accept the barbarity shown to a dead soldier by your Army. Right here you can see that our world view of civil conduct is different. Our basic values are at variance. The meaning of secular, equality, tolerance, civilized, honour is not the same between our two societies. There cannot be peace with someone who sees no problem with what the world considers uncivilized behaviour.
There can't be peace between India and Pakistan until Kashmir issue is solved. Unfortunately there is an extremely small segment of society that does not consider Kashmir an issue and considers India a friend ;) and ET represents this segment.