Of news: good and bad!

Ever wondered why good news is always followed by bad news (and vice versa)? This would appear to be the law of nature, particularly true in the Land of the Pure. How about going to the drawing board and picking out a few examples?

The good news is that our Ministry of Foreign Affairs is seen (and heard) on-screen averring that India is fully bound by the provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty and that enforcement provisions in it are foolproof. The bad news is that India was reported to have made plans, to follow up on the Kishanganga project with one to connect the Chenab and Beas rivers in complete violation of the spirit, if not the letter, of the said waters treaty.

The good news is that, according to the US Secretary of State, President Trump wants to begin withdrawing troops from Afghanistan before the 2020 election. The bad news is what might pop into his head once he is re-elected!

The good news — every once in a while — is that some foreign cricket board agrees in principle to send their team on a tour to Pakistan to end the cricket drought. The bad news is that the ICC decides to set some tough and rather impractical pre-conditions. India’s “behind the scene” maneuvers do nothing to help matters.

The good news is that the projected Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project, if it ever materialises (read with Iran’s offer of supply of electric power) can go a long way in tackling the energy problem of Pakistan. The bad news is that President Trump’s volte-face on Iran, not to mention this blessed land’s weak backbone (or the lack of it), stand in the way.

The good news is that the Prime Minister has paid a “highly successful” visit to Washington. The bad news is that President Trump’s well-known habit of doublespeak clouds the outcome to a great extent!

The foregoing are just stray examples. One could simply go on; the result would always be the same: good news followed by bad news and, sometimes, the other way around. The one moral that can be drawn from this exercise is that good fortune and misfortune, somehow, go hand in hand. Much like Newton’s Law, each piece of good news is counterbalanced by an equal and opposite bad news. The question to consider is this: is such a state of affairs universally true and dictated by nature itself or is it man-made? Also, is it peculiar to this land?

The answer to the first question is that this phenomenon does not appear to be dictated by nature. The fault, dear reader, lies not in the stars but in the inconsistency and incredulity of men destined to be minders of the helm. The (negative) attributes aforementioned are to be found in this blessed land in generous measure. How can things then be envisaged otherwise? This should also serve to answer the second question if one still had doubts! Yes, this phenomenon is largely peculiar to the Land of the Pure.

Why is it that our stalwarts in various vital fields have cultivated the regrettable propensity of simulation and dissimulation? Is it because, as a race, we lack the capacity to do our sums correctly before deciding to open our big mouths? Or, do we lack the inherent gumption to see beyond our respective noses? One would hate to speculate on these and related issues, simply because, not being well-versed in the elusive subject of psychology, one is hardly qualified to do so.

All one can say is that, before adopting a definite stance on delicate issues, it is always advisable not only to weigh the pros and cons but also to think the matter through before things get out of hand. This has been our failing for as long as one can recall. And, while we are on the subject, how about giving serious thought to the maxim: what are more opportune are not things that are well-articulated, but rather those that remain unsaid! Provides food for thought, does it not?

Published in The Express Tribune, August 5^th, 2019.

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