Column

Some years ago, on a visit to Karachi, I noticed that I had a ‘tail’, an unsolicited escort who followed me wherever I went. He made no attempt to conceal himself; in fact, he rather made it known that he was keeping an eye on me. Other journalists who had been to Pakistan had warned me about this.

His day started with mine — whenI came down to have breakfast, he would be sitting a table or two away, also having a cup of tea. When I went up to my room, he would get into the elevator and walk me to my door. It was not unpleasant, but it certainly was a bit creepy, especially when he stood right behind me while I unlocked my door.

Apart from that irritant, Karachi was a friendly enough city, though I must confess I did not have the 'bhai-bhai' moments other visitors constantly talk about, when shopkeepers refused to accept money or things like that. I found the people matter-of-fact about meeting an Indian and for me too, despite familial connections to the city, it was largely unsentimental. Yet, no Indian visitor has reported any overt hostility in Pakistan.

Therefore, it came as a surprise that two Indian journos, including a cameraman, were roughed up while doing a story in Lahore. A group of men set upon both and took away their cameras, tapes, phones, wallets, and everything else. Their channel head has hinted that the assaulters were from Pakistani intelligence. If true, it could mean one of two things — either the reproters had managed to get some really explosive stuff or, and this is quite likely, the Pakistani security establishment is sending India some kind of message. Either way, it is a new low in bilateral relations.

The relationship between the English media and by extension the non-governmental opinion-makers of the two countries is quite interesting. The Pakistani media tends to view its Indian counterparts as faithful followers of the Indian government line. Barring a handful of commentators from India, no one ever writes for Pakistani papers or comments on Pakistani television. The tribe of peaceniks and border candle-light vigil-keepers has shrunk and the newer journalists, especially on television, are much more aggressive and less hooked on to the Partition nostalgia.

But that does not mean they are any less obsessed with Pakistan. This obsession is of broadly two types — hyper nationalistic, wherein the anchor attacks his guest for being inimical to India, or chummy, in which the anchor and the guests are all friends and give the impression of having a nice fireside chat over a single malt. The former is clearly meant to boost viewer interest and TRPs — hysteria always sells. But it is the latter that is more insidious.

How often have we seen every little shift and every minor development in the diplomatic pas de deux between the two countries micro-analysed on television? More often than not, it follows a familiar pattern — the guests are familiar (senior editors, human rights activists and, now, authors too) and the message is familiar. What they end up saying is — both countries are at fault and both establishments need to understand that they are hurtling towards disaster. India, as the bigger country, must show some patience and not put too much pressure on Pakistan. Further, if only people-to-people contact were increased, if only both were a bit more reasonable, everything would be fine and people would rush across the border and hug each other. Maybe not in those words, but you get the point.

One doesn’t have to be a super-nationalist of the flag-waving kind to spot the many flaws in the argument. I will list two — first, there is no equivalence between the two sides; we are a democracy, they are not; second, not everyone here or presumably there has a single-minded obsession with the other country. The terror attacks have angered India and this country wants answers from a perfidious neighbour, but that is it. We have no interest in Pakistani society beyond that and certainly not in the minutiae of their political developments. Yet, day after day, night after night we are treated to a procession of Pakistani experts who get a platform on Indian television to hold forth on how best the two countries can become the best of friends.

The harsh truth of realpolitik is that there is a very slim chance that this is going to happen — and it shouldn’t matter if we don’t. Our interest is only that we be left in peace and that the jihadis are reined in. We (at least some of us) need to understand that Pakistan is one more country — it is not our doppelganger, our childhood buddy, our long-lost love. The generation that had that nostalgia (in any case confined to a small part of the country) is dying; let that sentiment die with them.

The roughing up of the two journalists thus is a wake-up call. There are forces in their establishment which are not well inclined towards us. There is no reason we should be equally hostile. That, however, does not mean we should not be on guard. A bit less romanticism in dealing with Pakistan would help.