The nation and its news media (broadcast as well as the supposedly more cerebral print) have infamously short memories. A shockwave of sorts had hit the airwaves a couple of years ago, when the incident known now as ‘Dawn Leaks’ happened. (Aside: a lazy nomenclature, yes, but still better than ‘Dawngate.’)
Back then, it was presented by anti-government and pro-establishment sections of the press as if the League had sold the military – and by extension – the very state of Pakistan, down the river. The information of the dialogue and discussion at this top meeting, it was alleged, was leaked to Dawn special correspondent Cyril Almeida. The fellow was put on the ECL and though his name has been removed from the list, his column (a popular component of the op-ed pages) was subsequently discontinued by the paper (which, to be fair, had dug in its heels on the story itself.)
Amidst the furore, some asked what was so offensive about the story in the first place. Weren’t there militant organisations in the country? If not, then what were Operations Zarb-e-Azb and Radd-ul-Fasaad against? I mean that was the exact official line, wasn’t it? The sheepish-official line, however, extended to organisations like the JeM and the LeT. Why was China constantly vetoing a particular categorisation for the JeM? Obviously at Pakistan’s behest. So our line on this front, too, was quite open.
None of that mattered. A federal minister had to be inexplicably kicked out of the cabinet. Even that bizarre step (that the information minister was unable to exercise his leverage with the media group and get the story killed ) was not good enough. “Notification is rejected,” was the official military line, one that birthed hundreds of memes on the internet.
In any case, Imran Khan’s recent interview to the New York Times says, in essence, the exact same things. That the military created these militant groups in the 80s and that now, they were of no use. Now the creation of these militant groups in the 80s is something that the Pakistani deep state does not hide. The Americans made us do it, is the defence; so a bit of comfort there. But when the prime minister says that they are of no use, it implies that this lot is very much around.
Again, Dawn Leaks. Prime Minister Khan’s validity as a prime minister is under question because his elevation to office follows what could arguably be called one of the most, if not the most, flawed electoral process in the country’s history.
One thing, however, isn’t under question: his coating of sheer teflon. Nothing sticks to him. Nawaz Sharif’s peace overtures to the Modi government (which is what prime ministers are supposed to do) earned him a Modi ka yaar moniker. Imran Khan, on the other hand, gives out an endorsement, of sorts, to Prime Minister Modi in the upcoming elections, and it doesn’t raise an eyebrow.
At least on this side of the border.
It would be interesting to see what the hapless Kashmiris themselves make of this statement. Some, however, take a different line when it comes to Khan’s interview. He wasn’t tutored by the military, say this lot. These were his own words and that this interview is going to mark the beginning of a rift. Highly unlikely? Yes. But then again, we are not dealing with rational actors here, are we?
