India-Pakistan;
Suspects
In Each Others Eyes
By Syed Junaid Hashmi
04 July, 2007
Countercurrents.org
Every word said was being tapped,
individuals were being screened, every face was being photographed and
numerous cameras from both sides were zooming in to record the ceremonial
meeting of Indian Border Security Forces (BSF) and Pakistani Rangers
at the International Border (IB). The occasion was mela Chamliyal yet
it appeared as if it was an official meeting of border guards of both
sides.
Movement had been restricted
at the Zero Line along the International Border (IB) where the two sides
met to exchange pleasantries. Families of officers and a few locals
represented the two sides. One could have a glimpse of devotees, who
had gathered in huge numbers to celebrate annual fair on the other side
of IB but with prevailing atmosphere of disbelief, moving an inch from
the Zero Line appeared difficult.
Inside the camp, every word
was being over-heard. The families from both the sides who were part
of the ceremonial function failed to interact with each other. Locals
kept looking at each other's faces but could not exchange even a few
words with each other. They remained mum. Those who spoke sought increase
in people to people contacts while most others demanded a meeting place
for divided families on IB.
Ironically, even this was
being over-heard. An interaction with children from Pakistan was interrupted
twice, once by an eavesdropping Jawan of BSF and the other time by an
official video camera. Another interaction with an officer of Pakistan
Rangers was stopped midway by an officer of the Border Security Forces
(BSF) stating that senior officers have already talked a lot about the
mela.
"You can develop a special
story from the shrine itself, let the officers relax," remarked
the officer. Children from both sides who had been allowed to come to
Zero Line kept looking at each other waiting for an opening to intermingle
with each other but they did not happen. A child from the Indian side
while looking at the Pakistani children said " Yeh Bachey to hum
sey milney aaye hain, phir kyon nahin miltey (These children have come
to meet us, then why they are not meeting).
Outside the tent of the border
security forces, at the place where Pakistani rangers had parked kept
their vehicles, a man standing guard stopped everyone trying to get
close to the vehicles. " Yeh hamarey officer shahibaan ki gadian
hain, hamein hokum hai ki hum kisiko bhi inkey paas Na aaney dein (These
are vehicles of our officers, we have been ordered not to allow anybody
to come close to these vehicles ), a Jawan of the Pakistani Rangers
told one and all whosoever tried to get close to the vehicles.
When this correspondent tried
to converse with a man in plain clothes standing close to the vehicles
of the Pakistani officers, he said "Aap logon ka koi bharosa nahin,
mujhey apna I-card dekhao phir mein baat karoon gaa (You people cannot
be trusted, show me your I-Card then I will talk). When he was shown
the I-card, he again refused stating " Yeh I-Card Nakli Hai (This
card is fake). He went on to say "Agar aap akhbar sye ho to mela
kye barey mein pooch, gadi KO kya karma hai aap Ney (If you are from
a newspaper then ask about the fair, what have you to do with the vehicle).
Mistrust was apparent despite
the fact that both India and Pakistan have been talking since the last
five years about making boundaries irrelevant. When the ceremony culminated,
a Jawan standing along with an officer on the gate would allow only
those people to cross on this side who possessed a Valid I-Card signifying
that he belongs to this side of Jammu and Kashmir.
A journalist from Punjab
who has been working in Jammu was stopped for I-Card which he was not
carrying with him. He was allowed to cross over only after another reporter
from Jammu told the officials that he is a journalist and has forgotten
his I-card. "In Jammu and Kashmir if these meeting points become
grounds of suspicion and distrust, then it is better to keep off from
this annual ritual," said the journalist from Punjab.
"A joint mechanism on
terror has been formed, bus service has been started, Rail services
have become operational and people to people contacts have increased
yet mistrust, suspicion, skepticism have become a part of such ceremonial
meetings between India and Pakistan," said Senior leader of People's
Democratic Party Nizamuddin Bhat. He added that these points could become
points of emotional integration and help in strengthening the bond of
love and liking between the people on the two sides.
Writer is a Journalist, presently
working with jammu and kashmir's reputed english daily "The Kashmir
Times". He can be reached at [email protected]
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