Opinion A change in tone

A register of reports and views from the Pakistan press....

June 26, 2010 03:37 AM IST First published on: Jun 26, 2010 at 03:37 AM IST

First a meeting between top diplomats of India and Pakistan,and then a bilateral engagement between the home ministers of both the countries at a regional conference: two back-to-back high level meetings between India and Pakistan seemed to bring anti-India tempers low in the Pakistani press.

In the run-up to this conference,preliminary discussions laid down that the trust deficit between Pakistan and India is proving to be a major hurdle in moving ahead on a proposal to set up a regional police network,SAARCPOL, reported Daily Times on June 25. Their editorial stated: The meeting between Nirupama Rao and Salman Bashir was not expected to yield any major breakthrough… But the meeting exuded optimism and positive understanding. Their joint briefing to the media indicates the two sides have engaged constructively. There is a visible shift in the tone of India since the SAARC conference at Thimphu in April. Dawn also commented on Indias tone on June 25: But,more worrying was a warning from the Indians that the trust building process was not insulated from any future terrorist incident.

Persian riddle

Richard Holbrooke,while in Islamabad,urged caution with the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline. Dawn reported on June 21: Pakistan should be wary of committing to an Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline because anticipated US sanctions on Iran could hit Pakistani companies, he said. Pakistan has an obvious,major energy problem and we are sympathetic to that,but in regards to a specific project,legislation is being prepared. he said. His instructions were immediately obeyed by Shah Mehmood Qureshi,Pakistans foreign minister,reported Daily Times,quoted him on June 21: if the pipeline falls under the restrictions imposed by the US on Iran,Pakistan will not violate international laws. Qureshis boss,PM Yousaf Raza Gilani his words a day later.

This expectedly stirred a debate in Pakistan,accusing the government of being deferential to the US. Hence,this defence: The UN resolution doesnt stop Pakistan from carrying on with the pipeline because China and Russia ensured Irans energy sector isnt targeted when UN resolution 1929 was passed by the UNSC, The News quoted the foreign office spokesman on June 22.

The PM was close at hand for damage control. Dawn reported on June 23: In a display of verbal acrobatics,PM Gilani turned his back on a statement he made less than 24 hours earlier… he explained Pakistan was not bound to follow the US restrictions placed on Iran though it would abide by any UN sanctions. Chances are he was encouraged to explain his earlier statement by the Foreign Office.

In Benazirs memory

On Benazir Bhuttos 57th birth anniversary,blood flowed aplenty. Daily Times reported on June 21: Blood camps have been set up at various places including at Liaquat Bagh,where Benazir was assassinated. Her husband also contributed,reported Daily Times on June 22: President Asif Zardari donated blood and launched a three-day national blood-donation campaign… The collected blood will be given to the army. Dawn reported on June 22 that the first Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Awards were announced by the PPP in the fields of democracy,human rights,womens empowerment and social causes. Myanmars Aung San Suu Kyi received the award for her service to democracy.

The degree fakers club

The uproar of the week was the fake degree scam in Pakistans legislatures. Another PMLN parliamentarian from Gujranwala was found to have a fake BA degree. Only graduates are eligible to contest elections,according to Pakistani law. Dawn reported on June 22: An election tribunal of the Lahore High Court…directed the Election Commission to hold fresh elections… within 60 days. The drive to weed such fakers out of legislatures is being throttled,reported The News on June 22: The fake degree holders… are all out to kill the ongoing exercise of verification of their degrees by the Higher Education Commission. Pressure is reportedly being exerted even from PM and CM secretariats. The News added on June 24 that vice chancellors and registrars of universities have been warned of imprisonment if found verifying a fake degree. Dawn added on June 25: SC ordered the Election Commission to initiate action against accused legislators.