Goa takeaways
NO bilateral breakthroughs were expected between Pakistan and India at the SCO foreign ministers’ conclave in Goa, and none occurred. Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari did the right thing by attending the multilateral moot in India, signalling that Pakistan is very much interested in interacting with states in its larger neighbourhood, and frustrating plans by certain actors to isolate this country.
It was highly unlikely that both Pakistan and India would give up their respective positions on key bilateral issues, particularly Kashmir, but more optimistic observers were hoping that personal interactions between both states’ top diplomats would at least break the ice and pave the way for dialogue. That did not turn out to be the case.
The SCO is not supposed to be an organisation to bring up members’ bilateral disputes. That is why Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s remarks at the forum about the need to contain “cross-border terrorism” — a very thinly veiled reference to Pakistan — ensured that no bilateral encounters occurred on the sidelines of the event.
Mr Bhutto-Zardari met a number of his other SCO counterparts bilaterally, but not Mr Jaishankar. The foreign minister also was correct in reiterating the fact that terrorism should not be weaponised for “diplomatic point-scoring”.
Aside from the official speech, the Indian foreign minister’s comments to the media regarding Pakistan and its top diplomat were also in poor taste. It appeared as if Mr Jaishankar was speaking as the spokesman for the BJP instead of the Indian government. The fact is both sides, particularly India, should have taken advantage of the situation; instead, yet another opportunity to mend ties was lost.
The Indian political establishment keeps harping on Pakistan’s alleged role in promoting militancy, but the fact is that Indian officials themselves admit that infiltration across the LoC has decreased. On Pakistan’s part, there is a realisation that the establishment’s past policies concerning the support for militant actors in India-held Kashmir damaged Pakistan’s position internationally, and hurt the Kashmir cause.
It gave India the perfect excuse to raise the bogey of terrorism at multilateral fora to isolate Pakistan — and to crack down brutally on Kashmiris in the occupied area, eventually snatching from them whatever little autonomy they had.
The experience should prompt decision-makers in Pakistan to adopt a wiser, more pragmatic diplomatic course to make a strong case for Kashmiri rights internationally. Meanwhile, if both sides want to truly transcend the toxic relationship of the past seven decades, they must come to the negotiating table without stringent preconditions.
By implementing the ‘softer’ confidence-building measures, a more conducive atmosphere for dialogue can be created. The SCO leaders’ summit is due to be held in India in July. Hopefully, some concrete steps to promote bilateral peace can be taken at that event.
Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2023
Babar’s feat
ONCE the dust had settled on a lopsided contest — Pakistan having romped past New Zealand to go to the top of the One-Day International rankings for the first time with captain Babar Azam having set a record — it was time to reflect. Babar, who became the fastest batter to reach 5,000 runs in the format en route to his 18th century, recalled it was exactly nine years ago that he joined the Pakistan camp for the first time. There had been ups and downs, he said, but the classy batter stood at Karachi’s National Stadium as Pakistan cricket’s biggest superstar and the first captain of the side to lead it to the top of the rankings since their inception in 2005. For a player under intense scrutiny over the past few years — each performance being examined not just by the cricketing community but the whole nation, his captaincy questioned at every turn — Babar could finally exhale. He had achieved what none of his predecessors did. To stay there, Pakistan need to complete a series whitewash against the Black Caps on Sunday. Already 4-0 up in the series, Pakistan look primed to do so — with the tourists’ top players missing due to the Indian Premier League.
That should not take anything away from Pakistan or Babar who has been racking up the runs. Prior to his 107, he had scores of 49, 65 and 54 in the first three games of the series. Having runs under his belt as he leads Pakistan at the ODI World Cup later this year is crucial for the team’s chances. For a side that has several match-winners, Babar is the batting mainstay on whom the team depends. It’s time uncertainty over his role as captain ended. He should be supported not just by the board but also the public — he needs to thrive further. Above all, he should be given the respect a special player like him deserves.
Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2023
Revisiting land use
ONE major factor contributing to urban decay and mismanagement of Pakistan’s cities is the fact that multiple landowners stand as a hurdle in the way of central planning of metropolitan areas. This is definitely the case in Karachi, Pakistan’s biggest metropolis, but other cities also suffer from the same problem. A plethora of agencies — federal, provincial, autonomous bodies etc — control parcels of land, creating a jigsaw puzzle of jurisdictions. Former mayor of Karachi Waseem Akhtar had at one time complained that his options of city management were limited because 15 different agencies controlled land in the city. Though there are different figures regarding the exact number of land-controlling agencies, independent experts back this claim, mentioning cantonments, the KPT, Railways and others as owners of land in Karachi, besides the city administration. Perhaps one solution has emerged from across the eastern border that can help improve the management of urban land in Pakistan. According to media reports, Indian authorities have decided to do away with most cantonments. These will be rebranded as ‘military stations’, while civilian areas of cantonments will be handed over to municipal authorities. It should be mentioned that our Supreme Court had ruled in 2007 that civilian areas should be excluded from cantonment boards, but the court’s order has not been implemented.
Cantonments are a vestige of the country’s colonial past, and in most instances include civilian areas that have nothing to do with military activities. While these areas may have been separate from the civilian parts of cities during the British era, the rapid, unplanned growth of our urban areas has resulted in many cantonments merging with the urban sprawl. For the health and growth of our cities, land management and planning should be under elected mayors, with input from subdivisions such as towns and union councils. This would be in keeping with the constitutional vision of local government — a vision many of our political parties have tried their best to thwart. Moreover, it would be better from a security point of view if exclusively military facilities were located outside urban areas. Giving control of cities to elected mayors would help solve many financial and planning issues our urban areas face. A first step can be taken by giving areas falling under the jurisdiction of cantonment boards that have no ostensible military utility back to the civilian administration.
Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2023