A thrilling finish
IT was a Pakistan Super League final that had everything: thrills and spills, enthralling drama and a tantalisingly close finish. A game that went to the wire was won by a solitary run by Lahore Qalandars who created history by becoming the first repeat champions of the glitzy T20 tournament. Their skipper, Shaheen Shah Afridi, shone with bat and ball, before running out Khushdil Shah on the last ball of the contest. Shaheen and the Qalandars fulfilled their mission of successfully defending their crown, overcoming the Sultans in the final for the second year running. They were the best team once again; winning seven out of 10 matches in the league stage to finish on top. Second-placed Sultans, the 2021 champions, recorded a crushing win in the qualifier but the Qalandars bounced back to win the second eliminator against Peshawar Zalmi and book their spot in the final. The Sultans seemed in control until the last five overs of each innings, with Shaheen tilting the game in his side’s favour. He first smashed a quick-fire 44 and then took three wickets in the 18th over. Back came the Sultans, though, fighting till the end and losing by the narrowest of margins, just like the opening game of the season against the Qalandars.
The season opened with PCB’s interim management committee chairman Najam Sethi stating that his aim was to make PSL bigger and better. He concluded the season saying that PSL had surpassed the Indian Premier League in terms of digital ratings. The first season, played across four national venues, was a record-breaking one. It saw the most sixes and fours hit. It also delivered some compelling storylines, with Pakistan’s all-format captain Babar Azam jumping ship and joining Zalmi. It meant games against his former side the Karachi Kings had added intrigue. Babar excelled with his bat, finishing as the second-highest run scorer to Sultans skipper Mohammad Rizwan, but came up short in his bid to lift his first PSL title as captain. Once again, PSL has unearthed future stars, notably player of the tournament Ihsanullah, who finished as the second-highest wicket-taker behind his Sultans teammate Abbas Afridi, and Zalmi batter Saim Ayub. Most importantly, PSL went on despite the unrest in Lahore, not only showcasing Pakistan’s ability as a cricket host but also helping to divert people’s minds from cantankerous politics.
Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2023
Trading for peace
ONE key suggestion to resolve the bitter, decades-old Pakistan-India dispute is for both states to foster deep, enduring economic ties. While this might seem like an unlikely option at the moment, considering the currently frigid bilateral ties, there are signs that better relations can be achieved if trade ties, snapped after India did away with held Kashmir’s autonomous status in 2019, are restored.
Indian Deputy High Commissioner Suresh Kumar discussed this possibility on Friday while speaking at an event at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Mr Kumar said India wants “better relations with Pakistan because we cannot change our geography”, and called for normalising trade ties. He added that India was interested in tapping Central Asian markets, which Pakistan could facilitate through transit trade.
It is significant that the Lahore Chamber invited an Indian official to its function, and that New Delhi’s representative spoke of improving ties. This is a welcome departure from the toxic rhetoric that has been witnessed over the past few years, especially since the events of 2019 in occupied Kashmir.
This paper has frequently argued in these columns that better trade ties can lead to a more congenial atmosphere in the subcontinent. Trading with India and other states in our neighbourhood, indeed the wider Asian region, makes geo-economic sense, and is in Pakistan’s interest.
The economies of Pakistan’s principal Western trading partners — the US and EU — appear to be slowing; therefore, it is imperative that the currently lukewarm ties with regional trading partners be improved.
Several past attempts have been made to establish robust trade ties with India, but these have fallen victim to other factors, usually resulting in the military establishment nixing plans to improve trade relations with our eastern neighbour.
Yet even former army chief Gen Qamar Bajwa on numerous occasions talked of the need to improve ties with India. It remains to be seen whether the current army leadership agrees with this part of the Bajwa doctrine, or has other ideas where India is concerned.
Indeed, the BJP government’s anti-Pakistan outbursts have not helped matters. But better ties, helped by improved economic relations, can create a more conducive atmosphere to resolve the more complex bilateral disputes.
Pakistan needs to internally discuss all contours of its India policy thoroughly. These discussions should involve all stakeholders — the civilian leadership (including the opposition), the establishment, trade bodies — and a unified policy should be pursued, without resorting to embarrassing U-turns later in the day.
However, implementing a new trade policy will only be practical after a new government takes charge in Pakistan and next year’s elections in India bring a new administration to New Delhi. In the meantime, both states can start the spadework by restoring their respective diplomatic missions to full strength, and easing visa restrictions.
Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2023
Covid-19 threat
THE National Command and Operation Centre’s recent recommendation that people wear masks at crowded public places and healthcare facilities is a reminder that, despite the gains made against Covid-19 — thanks to global vaccination campaigns — the threat from the virus is far from over. The NCOC said that the national positivity rate was almost 3pc, with some patients in critical condition, though it did not report any deaths from the infection. It is encouraging that the authorities are focusing on testing, and following the protocols put in place during previous Covid-19 waves. Though the health minister claimed there will be testing and screening of passengers at all airports, it is at this stage not clear how well these measures will be implemented. It is important that the authorities remain vigilant, not only by following the infection’s trajectory and community spread in the country, but also by keeping an eye on reports of variants and hospitalisations abroad. There are reports of a new variant in Israel, for example, which have prompted health officials there to raise concerns. In India, too, cases are rising, a development which has prompted the authorities in neighbouring Nepal to urge caution. Though reports show that the symptoms so far are mild, given how quickly the virus mutates, officials cannot afford to be complacent. A recent WHO statement warned that Covid-19 “continues to evolve”.
The world paid a very high price when the pandemic first hit, causing the loss of millions of lives and livelihoods. The horrors from that time serve as reminders that complacency and ignorance are simply not options. As the world, including developing countries such as Pakistan, grapple with multiple crises, and budgets for healthcare sectors get strained, health authorities and governments everywhere must know that no compromises can be made when it comes to guarding against Covid-19. In an increasingly interconnected world, the failure of one country can reverse the gains made against coronavirus for all nations.
Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2023