One would have expected a far better turnout of members and guests to hear Mr Satyabrata Pal, High Commissioner of India to Pakistan, last week when he spoke on the wide-ranging and important theme of "implementation and progress of Confidence Building Measures between India and Pakistan" at a meeting organised by the English Speaking Union of Pakistan, at the Beach Luxury Hotel.
And there is not the slightest doubt that he not only spoke exceptionally well, but he also evoked plenty of response from the audience. And almost all the traditional questions were asked, and in fact more than what the articulate, mild mannered, diplomat had imagined. ESUP Treasurer Tariq Rangoonwala ventured into the domain of cricket with his question and took the Indian diplomat by some surprise.
What also was somewhat surprising the next morning was that there was almost no mention of the Indian diplomat's speech in the newspapers. I recalled many previous occasions when a similar event was well attended by the local media, (print and electronic). Possibly with so much happening in the country at this point in time, the media's priorities and commitments were many and compelling.
Given the history and culture of bonds between the two neighbouring countries, it has always been a useful, informative update to hear the Indian High Commissioner speak on this kind of a theme. I suppose a Pakistani diplomat in India would also be heard with a high level of interest.
As one heard the Indian High Commissioner speak with clarity, and an optimism, it was inevitable that one's thoughts revolved around so many dimensions and perceptions there are to the two countries - Kashmir, politics, wars, terrorism, economy, visas, similarities and differences, cricket, cinema, television, and so much more.
He focused on the current state of the confidence building measures, indicating with a cautious optimism that with governmental and political changes in Pakistan, there was hope that the pace of progress would be quicker, and the nature of the commitment would be far more meaningful, given the civilian democracy that Pakistan has now been able to realise. Mr Satyabrata Pal understandably gave a bird's eye view of the change and development taking place in India in different fields and sectors, referring specifically to information technology, tourism, medicine and so on.
What was obvious was the implication that all this could have for Pakistan, and the prospects there were for better and meaningful bilateral relations. For all the tangible efforts there are being made between Pakistan and India I was disappointed (but not surprised) to hear from Mr Pal that both Indians and Pakistanis do not know enough about each other, despite all the strides that have been taken in the communication sector. Imagine the amount of television there is in the two countries, and yet the news and views channels are out of reach.
Mr Pal said that there was a need to enable more people from either country to visit the other, so that the people to people contact was raised to meaningful proportions. Obviously when he said this I thought of the visa issue between the two countries.
It is perhaps relevant to mention here that while I was born in Bombay (January 1947) I have never ever visited India. But my interest in the neighbouring country remains steadfast, and my curiosity and concern about Indian society have stayed with me for almost all my life. Perhaps, if Allah wills I may be able to visit my birthplace and that of my parents, in Madras, in a foreseeable future.
I am distracted by the thought of why tourism in South Asia is not as developed as it should be, and then I am conscious and reined in by the thought that given the economic issues that South Asians grapple with (among others like terrorism, war, and communal strife) perhaps it is too much to have imagined a better state of tourism. It was interesting to hear of the growth of tourism in India (inbound and outbound), and how the tourism packages for India, Sri Lanka and Nepal do not offer Pakistan.
Sometimes I do wonder, sadly, why citizens in these two countries have been unable to see each other's cities, towns, and villages. And it is sadder still to see not just the hassle and harassment of acquiring visas on both sides, but also the way in which some people in each country end up in jail, for years and years. For a lifetime, as well.
In his vote of thanks, Byram Avari, Vice President of the ESUP, referred to the suffering and agony of the fishermen on both sides who get arrested and thrown into jail. There is an urgent need to take a lenient view of the poor fishermen on both sides of the border, he added.
The Indian diplomat on the popular evergreen theme of visas presented information that mirrored the people's strong desire on both sides to travel to each other's country. There is a 10 percent increase in the number of visas that the Islamabad High Commission issues in a year today. The Karachi consulate can open as soon as Pakistan begins to function from Bombay. And as far as the availability of Jinnah House in Bombay for the Pakistan consulate goes, the point is that India is planning to have a cultural centre there, as there is a rich South Asian aspect to Mr Jinnah, said the Indian diplomat.
The Indian High Commissioner also said the Quaid "had an eye for property", and his acquisitions included property in Delhi also. In one of his properties today resides the Dutch ambassador to India, said Mr Pal.
At the end of the meeting souvenirs were presented to the Indian High Commissioner by Mr Navid Khan, the new President of the ESUP, and Mr Tariq Rangonwala. Mr Abdul Kader Jaffer a former ESUP President and High Commissioner to the UK was also presented and he and his wife also hosted a dinner for Mr and Mrs Pal that night.
One came back from the meeting with many thoughts about Pakistan-India ties, especially, the question when would the Kashmir issue be solved, to the satisfaction of the people of Kashmir. Like a minefield, this longstanding issue remains.
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