‘Gawadar, Chahbahar are inter-complementary’

NEW YORK: I’m most often shocked to hear some hackneyed terms from my friends and colleagues who give their opinions most probably in sync with the things in fashion without caring a fig for the actual realities or what we call ground realities (even this term ‘ground realities’ is quite a wearisome term though it is universally- and abundantly- applicable. 

A similar boring term that most of the people from my ilk are nowadays using without any reluctance, is ‘isolation’ with reference to Pakistan. Most of my colleagues, whenever they come across any Pakistani dignitary, throw one question quite thoughtlessly that goes like this: “Isn’t Pakistan living in isolation”? This question was asked the umpteenth time even today (September 22, 2016) during a breakfast meeting between Pakistani journalists and Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif at Hotel Waldorf Astoria, New York. Out of 40 journalists, about 10 of them were attracted towards the term ‘isolation’. A good number of us had only one question to pose: “Mr Prime Minister, you delivered a very balanced speech and reinvigorated the Kashmir issue during your address to the United Nations General Assembly’s 71st session but don’t you think Pakistan stands totally isolated in the world of today”. Obviously, the Prime Minister and his foreign affairs advisers including Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry and Dr Maleeha Lodhi endeavoured quite painstakingly to prove that Pakistan was not at all isolated. They had some good arguments to present but my own nausea vis-à-vis the frequent use of this term ‘isolation’ has made me think as to why my colleagues among the thinking beings are fascinated with putting questions without giving thought to such questions. Have they forgotten the decades’ old lesson ‘Think before you speak’ which means ‘Think before you question’ for people in the realm of thinking and dissemination of information. 

Certainly, the term isolation was nauseating for the reason of its unbridled, unintelligent repetition and also for the reason that Pakistan of today was quite well inter-connected with the external world in a series of newborn alignments and connectivity which also spell economic revival, albeit on terms and conditions that have, at times, been favouring and supporting foreign investors including huge investors. I remember some senior diplomats saying to me recently that 46 billion dollars’ China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)package means many $ 46billion packages coming to Pakistan as CPEC is working like an investment magnet (sic). 

The question that arises now out of all this ‘intelligentsia mess’ is:”Can a country receiving so much investment and a package of similar investments, be described as a country in isolation?”

The other thing that has created someconsternation in some sane minds was the use of the term ‘balanced speech’. Many said to the Prime Minister that his was quite a balanced speech. It was quite shocking. No doubt, balance must be maintained in all utterances especially if they are made at international forums like UN or elsewhere but what is needed in the matter of badly stalemated Kashmir dispute (it is not a dispute but a case of criminality and barbarianism) is practicality, more than ‘balancing things’ (we already exist in the balanced mode and for those who think we live in isolation, they should be at peace with the idea that isolation yields ‘balance’). Of course, practicality is the key to all deadlocks. I’m satisfied that this time the PM’s speech was more practical than merely ‘balanced’ since it came up with workable, practicable recommendations and plans such as the demand for fact-finding mechanism to be put in place on Kashmir to ascertain the brutalities and bestialities unleashed on innocent Kashmiris demanding the right of self-determination. 

In all, the breakfast meeting has come to me as a good opportunity for introspection. At least, I stand reformed and I pledge to ‘think before posing a question’. 

It is with the blessing of this breakfast with Nawaz Sharif that I’ve come to know, directly from horse’s, nay the PM’s mouth, that Gwadar of Pakistan doesn’t stand at all in conflict with the Chahbahar project. This disclosure is in itself a bombshell as it has reversed the rumour mills’ machines in full 360 degree circle. And the PM says that this fact that both the projects are inter-complementary has also been loudly acknowledged directly by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in his yesterday’s meeting with PM Sharif.