No magic wand

Nawaz's trip was an excellent visit, with India saying all matters were discussed in ‘cordial & friendly’ atmosphere.

The usual suspects are out in force, this time having the prime minister pilloried for accepting Mr Narendra Modi’s invitation to his swearing-in, despite the fact that whilst all of the heads of government of the other Saarc countries (except Bangladesh, which has stable relations with India) had replied to the invite in the affirmative in quick order, Pakistan took its time and after due deliberation over three days, also decided to attend.

While I, too, had my reservations, in hindsight it was a brave and a correct decision for several reasons. By missing an opportunity, even a fleeting one, to get to know the man who will lead India, a country with which we have a long list of (let’s not mince our words) disputes, most of them long-festering and harmful for both countries and their people, would have been most unwise. I have always believed that the more Indians and Pakistanis: civilian and military leaders; academics; journalists; and lay people, meet each other, the better. Indeed both countries should have exchange students so that the younger generation of one country gets to know that of the other.

As an aside, I have often asked why it is that the chiefs of the services of both countries do not regularly speak to their counterparts across the border? Indeed, why don’t they meet every so often alternately in Pakistan and India over a cup of tea and sandwiches? Oh, okay, dinner. What holds them back from shaking hands and getting to know one another? Mayhap if one army chief could just pick up the telephone and tell the other that such and such a place along the LoC is hotting up, a full-blown violation could be prevented? Yes, yes, I KNOW the DGMOs of both countries have a hot-line, but why not the Chiefs too?

Anyway, I digress, but will add here, though, that in response to a short but critical piece on the Wagah border flag-lowering ‘ceremony’ I wrote for another newspaper (at the request of an old friend who is its editor), the several responses were on the lines of: ‘soldiers are SUPPOSED to be cruel and mean and hostile’! I had of course, said as I always have, that the ‘ceremony’ is most disgraceful and shows both countries in a negative and puerile light. And that it militates against every single regulation contained in the Manual of Drill!

But back to Mr Nawaz Sharif’s visit to India. Add to the above the fact that, according to most forecasts based on his huge electoral victory and the crushing defeat suffered by the Congress, Modi will be in power for not only the next five years but for the foreseeable future. In which case Pakistani leaders will have to deal with him over the longer term. Also, and importantly, we would have looked mean-spirited and spiteful if our prime minister (PM) had not attended, specially when all the other Saarc leaders except that of Bangladesh, were.

All in all, it was an excellent visit, the Indian foreign secretary saying that all matters were discussed in a ‘cordial and friendly’ atmosphere. Add to this the important fact that Mr Modi had already stated that Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee was his ideal and his teacher and that he would like to emulate him. Please recall the Lahore bus trip that the sagacious Atal ji took at the invitation of PM Nawaz Sharif, and his speech at the Pakistan monument in which he had most kind words to say about Pakistan. Recall, too, that the two PMs signed the Lahore declaration, on February 21, 1999.

Of course it took the Commando and his thoughtless stupidity in Kargil in 1999 which gave a huge set-back to Pakistan-India relations for a time. We should recognise that it was the same BJP that spoke to Musharraf too, inviting him to Agra, where both countries came within a whisker of solving the most contentious of issues.

I must say here that it was great that Nawaz Sharif, who was himself let down terribly by the Kargil foolishness, called on Mr Vajpayee, now sadly ailing. It was a good gesture, and if reports of that meeting are anything to go by, it was a much appreciated coming together of the two men who had the distinction of moving Pakistan-India relations to a better place.

Well from good tidings to extremely sad news. A Pakistani American, who had come to Pakistan to serve gratis at the Tahir Heart Institute (THI), Rabwah (also known as Chenabpur), was brutally shot dead within two days of his arrival, as he was leaving the graveyard where he had visited his relatives’ graves. His wife and little son were with him when he was killed. And a poor, pregnant woman was brick-bated to death by her father and brothers right on Turner Road, which runs at the back of the imposing and Honourable Lahore High Court.

In the good doctor’s case, one can gauge the hate the shooter had for his victim from the fact that he shot him fully 10 times, in sight of his family, only because Dr Mehdi Ali was an Ahmadi. In the poor woman’s case, it is reported that since she was so viciously killed by her father and brothers, during court hours, her murder was witnessed by hundreds of people, including the police, who did nothing to stop this utter cruelty.

What in God’s name is wrong with us? What’s with the hate? Are Ahmadis not citizens of this country? Not to be protected by law; not to be given justice? As for the unfortunate woman, will the Lahore High Court take suo-motu notice of the heartless violence on its doorstep?

A word about the Tahir Heart Institute, a state-of-the-art facility which I attend too, because it is run by my cardiologist and friend General Nuri. It caters to all faiths: doing 30 heart by-passes and 250 angioplasties/stentings every month; and 12 dialyses every day. I have met people there from as far away as Fata. The poor are treated free of charge. Dr Ali was one of the biggest donors of the THI.

In the end, to all the naysayers who are blathering on about Nawaz Sharif’s visit to India: neither he nor Modi carry a magic wand. All outstanding issues between the two countries cannot be solved yesterday.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2014.

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