Batting out hostility

Cricket diplomacy has figured in Pak-India relations in the past. Now Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has proposed it be brought into play once again as a means to improve faltering relations between the two countries, which since the hard-line Modi government came to power last year have been hit by a virtual tidal wave of problems, with firing across the Line of Control claiming dozens of lives and displacing hundreds. India’s hostile approach on other matters, including Kashmir and terrorism issues has not helped matters along either and there has been a failure to resume the bilateral dialogue between the two nations. In this context Modi’s comments on a decision to begin a cricket series between the two neighbours are welcome. It is however significant that the move, announced by the Indian PM at a meeting of his BJP party has been rather strongly opposed by ministers, MPs and other members.
The mood is not encouraging, and Pakistan will need to see if beyond the words and gestures, possibly intended for a wider audience, there is real substance in what Modi has proposed. India has faced pressure from Washington in particular to build better ties with Pakistan, and in the context of foreign policy there may also be some anxiety in India over the closer embrace and expanded relations between Pakistan and China. The long list of new accords reached during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Pakistan last month will have been closely watched by India. Modi and his team would not like to be left out of any new equation involving the most powerful country in the region. But, no matter how good the batsman, it will take skill of many kinds to overcome the obstacles that impede relations between India and Pakistan. Pakistan has recently accused RAW agents of acting inside Pakistan’s territory. We know such actions do take place, possibly from both sides of the frontier. The legacy of a bitter past is after all very real; it lives on. Both countries need to show commitment to overcome this. Teams on the cricket field could help in this, but they are not the final answer. Other ways to move forward have to be found as well.