Editorial: The News - 01 July 2013

Forays into friendship

The British Prime Minister David Cameron is the first leader of a foreign government to visit Pakistan since the election that brought the PML-N and Nawaz Sharif’s government to power. His visit comes back-to-back with a trip to Afghanistan. High on the British agenda is the nature of the relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan, in particular the timbre of that relationship as the wind-down of foreign engagement in Afghanistan accelerates. In a more than usual anodyne press conference (at which neither leader took a single question) there were assurances about the enemies of Pakistan being the enemies of the UK, and the eternal friendship that exists between the two countries. Afghanistan got a mention too as Cameron spoke of the UK government’s support for President Karzai saying that any peace process will be Afghan-led and Afghan-owned, a mantra that is looking distinctly threadbare in the light of the debacle in diplomatic terms that was the opening of the Taliban office in Doha recently. The UK is set to improve the lives of ordinary Pakistanis we learned. After that it was over to the PM to respond which he did offering reciprocal platitudes around the themes of mutual cooperation in promoting peace in Afghanistan. Whatever there was of any substance that passed between the two governments there was precious little of it on public display. The Vanilla Visit will pass unnoticed by most.
Of rather more substance were Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s remarks on Saturday regarding relations with India. He said that he intended to continue a policy of pursuing close relations with India and that this would be a ‘hallmark of his government’s foreign policy outlook.’ The Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Mohammed Asif is soon to visit India to explore areas of joint cooperation in order to mitigate the burgeoning power crisis, and there have already been exchanges at a technical level in Lahore in recent weeks. The PM was meeting representatives of the Pak-India Joint Business Council, well within his comfort zone as an industrialist himself. Business is something the PM understands, the finer nuances of international statecraft however possibly not quite in such depth. There was further safe ground when he met with the Chinese media delegation where there was talk of the Pak-China Trade Corridor which he described as a ‘game changer.’ This is no mere hyperbole, a trade corridor really could be transformative in parts of our ailing economy; and it is here that the technocrats and business acumen of the new government are going to be shaping future foreign policy for Pakistan. China has already invested heavily in infrastructure projects over many years and several governments, and PM Nawaz Sharif is shortly to pay a visit no doubt to consolidate linkages – but on the evidence of the last four days it seems clear he is pushing at an open door. Foreign policy is rarely about dramatic moves or sharp changes of direction. Low-key as the British PM’s visit was it was part of the necessary maintenance that goes with a long-standing and generally stable relationship. No dramas – and neither should there be. With India and China the relationship is rather more dynamic, and needing considerably more than an occasional affirmation of mutual respect. Steady as we go seems to be the word from the bridge.

The last card

Friday’s announcement by former Pakistan captain Salman Butt in which he admitted playing a role in the 2010 spot-fixing scandal and also issued a public apology comes across as a ‘better late than never’ case. It has taken almost three years for Butt to admit his guilt and apologise to millions of Pakistani fans who were left stunned by corruption revelations involving Butt and two of his teammates – Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir – during a Test match against England back in the summer of 2010. From day one, Butt had been vocally pleading his innocence despite the fact that there was watertight evidence against the trio which was revealed following a string operation by the now defunct British tabloid News of the World. It is quite evident that Butt has taken the decision to admit his part in the scam in a desperate bid to revive his international career. The former Test batsman was banned by the International Cricket Council for ten years with five years of that ban suspended. He was also jailed for 30 months after being found guilty by a British court along with the other two involved. The trio were punished after it was proved that they received illegal payments over deliberate no-balls bowled during the Lord’s Test match.
Butt, 28, is now hoping against hope that the spot-fixing stigma will somehow go away and he will be able to return to national duty. He is keen to finally start participating in rehabilitation programmes run by the ICC and the Pakistan Cricket Board. It is also expected that he will share information regarding match/spot fixing with the ICC. These are some of the prerequisites before a banned cricketer like Butt can be allowed to return to international cricket. With his belated public apology, Butt has perhaps played his last card. Now it is up to national and international cricket authorities to decide whether the player can be allowed to make a comeback. Butt is seeking leniency but it is important for cricket that he serves his ban. Clemency would send the wrong signals, although in the case of bowler Amir the PCB interim chairman has sought it, doing exactly what it should not. Butt will still be young enough to play international cricket once his ban is over. However, it remains highly unlikely that Pakistan would recall the player for national duty even after his ban is over. After all, with a modest Test average of 30.46, Butt was never really an outstanding batsman. It is doubtful he will return as an improved batsman after staying away from the game for five years. In any case, Pakistan would be better off without a convicted