Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf’s return after four years
of self-exile did not dominate the Pakistani media the way it should
have, considering the fact that he had ruled the country for nine years.
Even following his arrest, except for the brief top slots on TV
channels, he did not figure prominently in the print media in Pakistan.
Contrary to that, Musharraf and his return was continuously splashed
over the front pages in Kashmir’s media – both in Urdu and English. He
also occupied a “better” space in Indian mainstream media, obviously for
the reasons that Pakistan Army is a “favourite” subject for a vast
section in print and electronic media.
In Kashmir, any development in Pakistan is covered by the media
extensively. The reason being that Kashmiri readers have a special
interest in Pakistan and its affairs. For the past 65 years, Pakistan
has been and continues to be part of the discourse over Kashmir and a
party to the “dispute” between India and Pakistan. A third of the state
of Jammu and Kashmir is under its control and its role in political
upheavals in Kashmir particularly after 1989 are not hidden.
There are many reasons why Musharraf and any development in regard to
him is followed in Kashmir. Although many Kashmiris believe he diluted
the “real issue”; a sizeable population in Jammu and Kashmir see him as
a peace-maker. During my personal interactions with many Pakistani
friends they would take umbrage to “Musharraf being popular among
Kashmiris”. The reason is simple that they would see him as a “dictator”
who “throttled democracy” to remain in power. But those in Kashmir who
have a liking for Musharraf have seen him as one who departs from the
“stated” track the successive Pakistani governments had adopted
vis-à-vis Kashmir. They would also see a practical direction to the
process of resolution to Kashmir issue during Musharraf’s rule. Putting
the “old rhetoric and war mongering” into the backdrop, Musharraf would
talk about out-of-the-box solutions to reach an agreement on Kashmir.
And in today’s Pakistan, the Kashmir issue figures nowhere in the
election campaign as the leaders of traditional parties such as Pakistan
People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) have the economy and
internal stability as the main planks rather than the jugular vein.
Ironically, these leaders while critical of Musharraf’s Kashmir policy
have completely abandoned the “much loved Kashmir cause”.
“The reason Musharraf gets extensive coverage in Kashmir is that his
was the time of happening as for as the dispute is concerned”, opines
Tahir Mohiuddin, editor of Urdu daily Chattan. “He surely did
something practical and that is why the interest of readers in knowing
about him”. Not only had people pinned hopes on Musharraf- (AB) Vajpayee
combination on Kashmir resolution, but the separatists (except for
hard-liner Syed Ali Shah Geelani) were on board in supporting his
policies.
Musharraf being discussed in both the traditional and social media in
Kashmir is linked to a drastic change that was witnessed in Indo-Pak
relations during his time. He was the first Pakistan Army Chief who from
being a staunch anti-India general ended up becoming the top peacemaker
– that too with the country against which he planned Kargil. Although
not defiant about what he did in 1999, he still changed the course of
history and laid the foundation for a peace process. Confidence Building
Measures such as bus services across the divided Jammu and Kashmir and
trade across the Line of Control (LoC) are two important milestones the
peace process achieved. Ceasefire along the LOC which facilitated the
return of tens of thousands of people on both sides is something which
those who were continuously living under threat of cross border shelling
for more than 15 years, cannot forget.
By 2003, Kashmiris were fed up with the violence and iron-hand
methods by New Delhi had taken a huge toll on them though they were
forced to take up the gun due to continued moves to trample democratic
rights. They also got convinced that the solution to the vexed issue was
near and interlocutors on both sides had gained ground on that. Even
Khurshid Kasuri, then Foreign Minister under Musharraf’s rule, went to
the extent of saying that “we were close to inking the agreement”.
This hope had made Musharraf relevant in Kashmir and that is why the
interest in knowing about him. Kashmiris believe that a solution to the
problem cannot be achieved overnight and a step-by-step approach was the
only way to reach a level of agreement, notwithstanding the
inflexibility New Delhi has exhibited for so long. And Musharraf had
moved in the direction of dealing with the issue with a step-by-step
approach.
Notwithstanding the media coverage Musharraf gets in Kashmir, there
is disagreement in social media among Kashmiris. While many see him as a
“saviour”, not only for Kashmir but for Pakistan too, there are voices
who are critical of him for being a dictator. Irrespective of the fact
that Musharraf tried to get Pakistan’s middle class out of the clutches
of a democracy “chained by fuedal lords and waderas” by introducing the
concept of basic democracy through the electoral reforms and by creating
avenues for them in media and services, many Kashmiris still see the
traditional democracy as the “best way for Pakistan” to be stabilised. A
well-known Kashmiri columnist Arjimand Hussain Talib’s post on Facebook
invited a barrage of mixed comments – “I pity Pakistan’s judiciary and
irresponsible media (with due respects to media friends there).
Musharraf stands out as a ruler in Pakistan’s history who was not
corrupt, took decisions in the best interests of his nation in the given
circumstances, gave the country a free media, a vibrant civil society,
reformed political system. And now the same systems humiliate him, are
out to destroy him. I increasingly wonder if democracy really suits that
country”.
Many blamed him for all the evils in Pakistan but many praised him
for being a reformer. Without naming Arjimand or others, another
Kashmiri journalist Gowhar Geelani pooh-poohed this positive thinking
about Musharraf on his FB status – “I wasn’t amazed one bit to read some
articles in Kashmir press favouring military dictator Musharaff’s
policies of ruling a country for a decade against the wishes of the
people. Mush fans want people to forget what the man did like deposing
as many as 60 senior judges, including the Chief Justice of Pakistan,
suggesting a flexible four-point formula for solving Kashmir dispute,
ordering operation Lal Masjid, entering into a secret covenant with the
US government to bomb tribals in Pakistan (drone attacks), declaring
emergency in Pakistan. All of these undemocratic, unethical and
dictatorial practices are being defended by some so-called writers in
Kashmir, and instead of condemning these they seem to be suggesting that
Mush provided stability to Pakistan and therefore should not be tried
or punished for his misdeeds! Great analysis…! Keep it up!”.
In response to Gowhar one comment by Shenaz Yousuf was – “Going by
the ‘popular’ sentiment, Musharraf is a saint not even recognised by his
own countrymen. But we Kashmiris know him like no one does. Such a sad
saga”.
Whatever way Musharraf is treated or seen by Pakistanis, for Kashmir
his rule was certainly something which brought relief and opened up a
new window for addressing Kashmir. So for the media too, it is difficult
to ignore him. Otherwise also, Pakistan and politics in that country is
closely followed in Kashmir, for the reason that any development in
Pakistan has an impact on the happenings here. Musharraf has a place in
the context of Kashmir’s legacy which continues to remain a “dispute”
between India and Pakistan.
