Nawaz Sharif paid through his nose for ties with India
By MAK Lodhi
LAHORE: Whatever way one may view the PML-N leader Mian Nawaz Sharifis role in the messy politics, his contribution to restore Indo-Pak relations has remained unsurpassed, the occasion n February 20, 1999 n when former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee alighted from Dosti Bus at Wagah Border.
The atmosphere was charged and contagious. Out came with him many Bollywood heroes from the bus. Media corps and other guests, seated at a temporary stair-cased stage, were moved and stood up in chairs. Legendry Indian actor Dev Anand, then 76 (he died on Dec 3, 2011, aged 88) was talking to us. His words still echo in my mind. iBhai, hum sub aik hi tau hein.i (Brothers, we are all alike).
Our minds instantly went down the memory lane. His films, songs and dialogues flashed in an instant and one had to shrug them off to capture the glimpses of historic moment n the embrace of the leaders of the two countries known as arch rivals. Vajpayee looked somber, dignified and carried himself with grace, treading softly as if on dreams. Yes, both Nawaz Sharif and Vajpayee together dreamt a future for the two neglected and subverted nations, their populace barely existing at poverty line and their forces always ready to take on each other.
While the mindset and psyche of the older generations, who can easily go back in time and space to click ugly days of partition and the resultant genocide, young generations of both Pakistan and India look at the bonding in an entirely different perspective. They feel more compassionately and humanly. The enemy has lost its face. People in both countries realize that they have spent 65 years of missed opportunities, wasted billions of rupees in a meaningless rivalry and dried out their resources and talent.
Back in late 1990s, Pakistani and Indian children, sponsored by a US NGO, Seeds of Peace, exchanged visits and stayed in each otheris homes. My son received two friends from New Delhi. They lived for a week with my family. They moved around Lahore and dubbed that it wasnit much different from New Delhi. They identified identical dishes and their tastes with what their moms cooked back home. Wearing the same type of clothes, they chatted spontaneously in the same language, the spoken Urdu. Even they noted they had the similar complexions and features. They felt they have the same blood running in their veins and belonged to the same race.
The boys, high achievers in studies, took initiative to condemn their respective politicking leaders and fixated thinking of their establishment. Listening to both sides at the dinner table was a delightful experience. It was like a dream coming true.
That dream was shattered when Indian PM, after paying a symbolic visit to Yadgar-e-Pakistan, returned to India. The first news he got was that of a Hindu wedding procession (Barat) blown up in Jummu, Indian Kashmir.
Vajpayee was shocked. All the peace loving people of South Asia were appalled. This was the price he had to pay for a visit to Pakistan. Vajpayee faced jeers and jibes from Indian hawks.
Back in Pakistan worse events happened. An ambitious head of Pakistan Army, General Pervez Musharraf, who had not saluted Indian head of the government during his visit to Lahore, had already sent troops and extremists to capture Kargil heights. This is how another incontinent general, once again, foreclosed options for a peaceful solution of Kashmir issue. He exercised the military option before exhausting all other options and even that without the approval of the political government. It was obvious that Nawaz Sharif was vying for peace and could never approve the mother of all follies known as Kargil operation.
Nawaz Sharif had to pay a heavy price. Fearing charges and trial, Gen Musharraf kicked out democratically elected government on October 12, 1999 and exiled an elected prime minister and his family to rule over Pakistan with an iron fist.
While it is difficult to calculate the suffering and losses the poor nation had to face, Nawaz Sharif has once again dared the establishment and the ruling coalition government. He has asked for unilateral withdrawal from Siachen and ending visa restrictions between the two countries to facilitate easy travel for people.
The onus is on Pakistan now to take bold initiative. Thereis nothing wrong with the idea of taking the first step in the right direction. Instead of confrontation, Siachen can be and should be patrolled by joint teams of India and Pakistan. Nawaz Sharifis approach is realistic and pragmatic. India has been our first neighbor, much closer in distance to China, Russia and the US. We correlate with Indians historically, culturally and linguistically. In a truly liberal society, religion remains individual affair of constituents. Our future must resonate with Quaid-e-Azamis address to the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan on August 11, 1947, iYou are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place of worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed – that has nothing to do with the business of the State.i
Once again, the spontaneous flow of sentiments of peace, togetherness and mutual sharing is at peak. Top Indian businessmen are here to turn a new leaf on. Letis put all the weight to melt the hardened hearts.
Like Martin Luther King Junior, I too have a dream. If only I could just change gears for a drive to Amritsar any Sunday and have breakfast with friends there! I wish I could roam about incredible India and visit ancient temples and shrines. One thing I assure is that many Indians share dreams the same way.
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