September 23, 2018

Let sports conquer hearts in South Asia

located:	Pakistan, India
editor:	Shadi Khan Saif

Often referred to as the ‘gentlemen's game’, cricket has proven once again that it has glue-like qualities of bringing people closer, even under testing times when nothing else is going in the right direction.

While the politicians and military bosses of the so-called arch-rivals (India and Pakistan) were busy in warmongering, the national cricketers of both countries faced each other for a beautiful game of cricket under a clearly outlined set of rules in the ongoing Asia Cup. More often than not, the day-long quality entertainment provides a rare escape for the two neighbouring nations from the usually bitter realities of the strained ties between New Delhi and Islamabad.

The worship of the game in this part of the world is simple. Millions in both countries are glued to TV screens on match day to capture the cherished moments. The game provides an ultimate opportunity for people-to-people contact in an otherwise detached conversation among the two communities, who despite everything, share so much in common. Field rivalry aside, the sportsmanship demonstrated by players on the ground together with the equally intriguing live commentary by former stars from the subcontinent, Rameez Raja, Sunil Gavaskar and many more, offers a warm feeling of a shared culture and shared-history and promotes peace in the troubled region. 

In clear contrast to the gaming festivities, the political and military rulers of the two nuclear-armed countries are once again exchanging deadly threats, with discussions of war and hatred on the table. In an apparent debacle of diplomacy, the proposed meeting of the foreign ministers from both countries on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session has been cancelled. Moreover, the military seems to be taking charge from the civilian leadership both in India and Pakistan, which is further escalating tension.

In order for peace to develop, the lingering and unresolved disputes need to be addressed. It might sound naïve, but sooner or later the people in this region are going to realise that the ruling elite has kept them under siege over fabricated fears about each other for their own systematic and deeply entrenched interests.

Photo: wiki