An inspiring victory
TWO down in pursuit of a formidable target, Pakistan needed a hero. Enter Abdullah Shafique. In his World Cup debut and fifth One-day International, the 23-year-old showed a maturity beyond his years to present a record victory to his side. Ably supported by the more experienced Mohammad Rizwan, Abdullah displayed finesse and force, proving there is hope for Pakistan beyond Fakhar Zaman, whose struggles paved the way for Abdullah to feature in the game. Rizwan, who like Abdullah also cracked a century, played through cramps and finished things off as Pakistan completed the highest-ever chase in a World Cup match, reaching their target of 345 with 10 balls to spare and eclipsing Ireland’s 328 against England in the 2011 edition of the tournament. The duo ensured Pakistan didn’t suffer their usual meltdown in the face of a stiff target, especially with captain and batting mainstay Babar Azam falling early. They showed the grit and resilience sometimes found wanting in the side. Considering Pakistan’s previous highest World Cup chase was 264 against New Zealand in 1992, this was momentous. Not only will it inspire belief, as the team continued with their winning streak after beating the Netherlands, it will give Pakistan momentum ahead of the game against India on Saturday.
But there are some concerns that the team should address — most notably in bowling and fielding. Pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi needs to rediscover his lost verve, as does Haris Rauf. Dropped catches cost Pakistan against the Lankans — Kusal Mendis was dropped twice during his whirlwind century. Sadeera Sawarawickrama also hit a ton. The game was the first at a World Cup to feature four centuries. Thankfully for Pakistan, the centuries that mattered in the end came from their players. However, they need to cut down on the chances they’re affording their opponents, otherwise teams like India, who have never been beaten by Pakistan in an ODI World Cup, will make them pay.
Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2023
Yogi’s outburst
REVANCHIST geography is a central plank of the Sangh Parivar’s ideology, as devotees of Hindutva dream of recreating ‘Akhand Bharat’, a mythical, massive landmass covering all of South Asia and beyond. It is one thing for rabid ideologues to support such irresponsible notions. But quite another when elected high officials in India talk of recreating this imagined geographical entity. India’s neighbours, then, have good reason to be concerned. In this regard, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s recent remarks about “taking back Sindhu” are shocking, coming as they do from the elected leader of India’s most populous state. The Yogi, a rabid Hindu priest, is not known for his tolerance towards Muslims, and has made numerous racist remarks targeted at them. Speaking at a Sindhi convention in Lucknow, he first gloated over the demolition of the Babri Masjid, and then crowed that if Ram Janmabhoomi could be reclaimed after five centuries, “Sindhu can also be brought back”. This attack on Pakistan’s territorial integrity is unacceptable, especially from a politician who could one day become prime minister of India. As the Foreign Office noted, the Yogi’s views “reflect a perverse view of history”.
One may well ask why stop at ‘Sindhu’? After all, in the minds of Hindutva zealots, Akhand Bharat stretches from the snowy peaks of the Pamirs in Afghanistan, to the muddy banks of the Irrawaddy in Myanmar. The proponents of this scheme will have to erase many an international border to achieve their fabled dreamland. But on a more serious note, the Akhand Bharat stunt is not limited to one or two Sangh leaders. In fact, when the new building of the Indian parliament was inaugurated earlier this year, much controversy was raised over a map displayed in the building which showed parts of Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh as Indian territory. All three states sought explanations from New Delhi. The BJP will be looking to shore up its Hindu nationalist credentials by trotting out canards like Akhand Bharat in time for next year’s elections. But questioning the territorial integrity of South Asia’s independent states is a bad election ploy that will only add to toxic regional relations, especially between Pakistan and India. Instead of Akhand Bharat, South Asians deserve a region free from hate, violence and poverty, where prosperity and development are available to all in the spirit of equality.
Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2023
Last call?
POLICY confusion, economic disarray, social upheaval, media clampdown and political persecution have cast a suffocating pall on Pakistan.
Amidst this feeling of desolation, a call for forgiveness and cooperation is a reminder that the way out is much simpler than what it has seemed to be.
What President Arif Alvi has said echoes what many politically astute minds believe is the only way for Pakistan to realistically turn the corner: the state must provide an outlet to the public’s suppressed will with an election that is free of controversy and fair to all parties.
For a change, it should let the system work in the way it was originally intended to. The country’s economic condition presents an unprecedented existential challenge for Pakistan.
No government can realistically expect to survive the difficulties that lie ahead if it comes to power on a stolen mandate. To break free of the past, we must break the mould.
Though the print and electronic media have not been allowed to dwell too long on the topic, the public knows well that it is being ruled by a regime whose priorities and policies are completely at odds with the aspirations of the majority.
The latter’s discontent has been made worse by the state-sanctioned use of coercive tactics to restore ‘stability’, which have yet to yield any tangible dividends for the ordinary citizen.
Those who favour this style of ‘political management’ must realise that repression has never worked in the past and is unlikely to do so this time. In present conditions, holding an election whose fairness is widely doubted will further fracture the sociopolitical order.
This will not only imperil Pakistan’s standing in a rapidly changing world, but the continuing instability is likely to set its economy back by decades. And, by the time the extent of the damage that has been wrought under the present regime is acknowledged, the country will have slumped lower in human development rankings.
The past cannot be undone, but the path we take forward is entirely up to our political, judicial, military and civil society leadership.
The leaders of the different parties must sit together — or be persuaded to if they are not amenable — to agree to some ground rules for the upcoming election. In negotiating these rules, the parties can create the ‘level playing field’ that each of them has been seeking separately.
Meanwhile, the state ought to consider diverting its energies away from the less-than-effective policies it has been pursuing and allocate them, instead, towards ensuring that the political parties have an equal incentive for participating in the talks.
This seems like the only ‘positive role’ it can play at this point. Realistically, and given present conditions, this seems to be the most reasonable path forward.
Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2023