The vernacular Urdu press in Kashmir has been dominated by issues related to Pakistan’s elections and the PDP-Congress truce in Jammu and Kashmir.
What Kashmiri papers say...
Usually obsessed with separatist politics, the vernacular Urdu press in Kashmir has been dominated by issues related to Pakistan’s elections and the PDP-Congress truce in Jammu and Kashmir.
Prominent Urdu daily Srinagar Times reported Pak elections in detail, touching upon even minor details of nomination of candidates by different political parties like Peoples Party, Muslim League (Qaid Azam and Nawaz groups). The paper expressed concern that Saudi Arabia wields such influence on Pakistani government that many decisions, it appears, are taken by the Saudi sheikhs.
“The Army topples an elected government headed by Sharif who is blamed for plotting to kill Musharraf. A case is lodged against him and he is served a life sentence. All these are internal issues of Pakistan but Saudi Arabia comes forward with an offer to shelter Sharif, press Pakistan to withdraw the sentence and now ensures he returns home,” the paper commented in its editorial on December 8.
Even cartoons in the dailies have been obsessed by the actors in Pakistani elections. Nawaz Sharif, Benazir Bhutto and Musharraf have been the favourite toon characters of noted cartoonist Bashir Ahmad Bashir, who otherwise is known for his satire on mainstream and separatist politicians.
What added spice to the developments in Pakistan was chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad’s praise for the Pervez Musharraf, which became the highlight of some of the newspapers. Daily Kashmir Uzma carried Azad’s statement as banner head in one of its issues. Azad had praised Musharraf’s political acumen and wished he could become Pakistan’s elected prime minister.
The much talked about Gujarat elections did not receive much coverage in the local dailies. If at all there was any news, it was buried in the inside pages of the Urdu dailies.
It was only Srinagar Times which wrote editorials about Gujarat elections. “Mahatma’s Gujarat has become a hell for its people. Had Gandhi been alive, he would have been ashamed of Gujarati rulers…,” the paper wrote in its editorial on December 12.
The issue of Afzal Guru, who hails from Sopore area of north Kashmir, however, did not trigger the usual heated discussions. Most dailies ignored Modi’s statements related to Afzal Guru.
After months of squabbling, the reconciliation between ruling Congress and its alliance partner People’s Democratic Party (PDP) became page one headline in most dailies, and senior PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Baig’s re-induction into the cabinet was covered by all the dailies with prominence.
Some dailies commented that PDP has buried its hatchet and decided to work on the “same salary” to keep the coalition intact. Kashmir Uzma, Daily Aftab, Daily Srinagar Times, Daily Etlaat and Daily Alsafa carried the story as banner head.
In its editorial, titled “It happens only in politics”, Srinagar Times commented that Baig has not only emerged victorious but had also ensured that his honour is restored in the battle between PDP bosses and Congress.
“Baig was removed unceremoniously last year. But now he is the deputy CM again, which shows that he was down but not out. It only happens in politics,” the paper said.
h_ishfaq@dnaindia.net
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