Javed Miandad, the acidic Pakistani cricketer during his playing days - never missed a chance to needle India and its players when situations arose - was scheduled to witness the last one day international between the two teams, this Sunday. Actually, it was something that should have never come up even for consideration.
He's related to the underworld don, Dawood Ibrahim, because his son is married to the latter's daughter. And Dawood is wanted in India in connection with his complicity in the Bombay blasts. On that score, Miandad should have known that his request would never be considered by any self respecting Indian or was he cocking a snook at the famous Indian emotional sentimentalism? Embracing Pakistan as a good neighbour and the business of 'track 2' diplomacy are all very fine but should not be at the cost of our national interests. Pakistan has to take corrective measures on many of their transgressions of the past and there's no way that we can give sops to them in the name of improving relationship by burying the past, without action.
How did his visit get clearance in the first place? It's too difficult to believe that it was it cleared by some low level functionary of the government, out of ignorance. India-Pakistan atmospherics is known even to an infant thanks to the abundant number of stories in circulation. Then, was it somebody's mischief to show the government in poor light or on the wrong foot? Or was it a ploy to divert the attention of the people from the massive outpourings on display against the gruesome Delhi gang rape of last month?
He's since cancelled his visit. Thank god for minor mercies!
Tailpiece.
A controversy that could have been avoided by telling the guy, in the first place, that he wasn't welcome in this country due to his 'connections'.
He's related to the underworld don, Dawood Ibrahim, because his son is married to the latter's daughter. And Dawood is wanted in India in connection with his complicity in the Bombay blasts. On that score, Miandad should have known that his request would never be considered by any self respecting Indian or was he cocking a snook at the famous Indian emotional sentimentalism? Embracing Pakistan as a good neighbour and the business of 'track 2' diplomacy are all very fine but should not be at the cost of our national interests. Pakistan has to take corrective measures on many of their transgressions of the past and there's no way that we can give sops to them in the name of improving relationship by burying the past, without action.
How did his visit get clearance in the first place? It's too difficult to believe that it was it cleared by some low level functionary of the government, out of ignorance. India-Pakistan atmospherics is known even to an infant thanks to the abundant number of stories in circulation. Then, was it somebody's mischief to show the government in poor light or on the wrong foot? Or was it a ploy to divert the attention of the people from the massive outpourings on display against the gruesome Delhi gang rape of last month?
He's since cancelled his visit. Thank god for minor mercies!
Tailpiece.
A controversy that could have been avoided by telling the guy, in the first place, that he wasn't welcome in this country due to his 'connections'.
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