Living in a bubble

We know that our leaders and assorted VIPs live in a security bubble. Though small, it is a world unto itself. And it can be extended temporarily to accommodate a game of cricket. Otherwise, the ordinary ‘spectators’ do not generally have any visiting rights.

There is no doubt that the final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) this evening is going to be a great spectacle. But it is not entirely the game itself that makes you breathless with excitement and tension. The fact that a major cricket match is being played in Lahore has been billed as some kind of a phenomenon.

Yes, there are reasons why the decision to have the PSL final at the Gaddafi Stadium had prompted such anxious deliberations. It was not just the blight on international cricket in Pakistan that was cast by the terror attack on the Sri Lankan team in 2009. Recent acts of terrorism in the country, which began with a suicide bombing in Lahore, also had an impact. The security environment became truly challenging.

In that sense, playing the PSL final in Lahore was also seen as some form of counterterrorism ploy. The frenzy that was whipped up by the media may have made it difficult for those who are at the helm of these affairs to keep their cool and cautiously weigh the options they had. So, the way to today’s final was paved with grand, warlike manoeuvres that may seem unreal when you sit down to recall them after tonight.

We should wait until it is over to make a proper appraisal of whether it was worth it or not. But how does one calculate the cost of an operation of this magnitude? What value will you put on the time invested by the highest functionaries of the land in marathon meetings? In monetary terms, what will be the cost of the deployment of thousands and thousands of security operatives? As for disruptions in the life of the city and its commercial activities, that is business as usual.

One measure of this will be what Lahore Capital City Police Officer Amin Wains was quoted as saying: “For high vigilance, the Pakistan Army, Rangers and [the] Punjab police shall take control of the surroundings of [the Gaddafi] Stadium and its adjoining areas a day before the PSL final. In addition, the Punjab Constabulary, [the] Dolphin Force, [the] Police Response Unit, [the] Elite Force, and personnel from various police stations have been deployed to guard the stadium, routes, nearby buildings and the roads”. We are told that a five-layered high-grade security plan has been finalised for the match.

Won’t the militants – who are believed to be lurking somewhere in the shadows – see this as a vindication of their capacity to intimidate and frighten the administration? It is interesting that this massive show of force is deemed necessary at a time when professedly successful operations have been mounted against militants throughout the country – Operation Raddul Fasaad being the most recent incarnation of this resolve.

It is difficult for someone who has no inkling of the security or administrative rigmarole to make a sense of this overkill. Or could they be more discreet in their security arrangements, relying more on intelligence – of whichever kind. It is possible that the entire drill is meant to make a certain statement and create the impression of invincibility on the security front.

However, the overall image that this portrays of Pakistan’s domestic environment in terms of law and order and the perception of a threat from militants is not encouraging.

With less effort and incredibly more social gains, they could have made Basant safe for Lahore. A spectator sport that arouses patriotic passions has its political uses. Cricket in our country has become a popular involvement of high intensity. Its commercial interests are boundless. But Basant has deeper roots and it can strengthen communal harmony and peace in many gratifying ways.

The situation seems to be rather incongruous. We are devoting all our resources to the task of restoring international cricket in Pakistan around the same time that flying kites in Lahore and other cities of Punjab has been designated as a crime. There was a tragic incident on Friday in Sadiqabad when a person died after being punched by a policeman in a raid conducted to arrest two youngsters who the police claimed were flying kites.

Still, the benefits of making today’s encounter in Lahore a success could also be substantial. It will depend on what the people feel the morning after and how the entire exercise is judged by the political and security establishments of the country. Will it signify a victory in the struggle to liberate our cities and our communities from fear and insecurity? Will the citizens be able to reclaim their public spaces and be able to congregate and have fun in a safe environment?

Our war against terror – with all the victories that we may be winning – may not conclude in a short time. The real task is to build social capital and promote social and cultural activities in a safe, tolerant and peaceful environment. This is possible in so many cities of the world, including the ones that have suffered an occasional burst of terror. Enjoying a great game of cricket in a stadium that vibrates with excitement is undoubtedly an invigorating experience.

So, do I wish to be a part of that charged crowd that will be present at the Gaddafi Stadium this evening? I am not so sure. But as an aside – and to underline a point that I am trying to make – I will tell you how I wished I had been in London’s Trafalgar Square last Sunday evening. I cite this as an example of what is possible in a living city.

Invited by Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, thousands of people had packed Trafalgar Square to watch a free screening of ‘The Salesman’, a film by Iranian director Asghar Farhadi. It had been nominated in the category of the Best Foreign Language Film in the Academy Awards to be presented the same evening. Since Asghar had refused to go to the US because of Trump’s original travel ban, this screening was an expression of support for his stance. Hours later, ‘The Salesman’ did win an Oscar.

Imagine what it would be like to join that crowd in the Trafalgar Square last Sunday. That is how a city should live.

The writer is a senior journalist.

Email: ghazi_salahuddin@hotmail.com