Drama diplomacy between India and Pakistan /Published in 2014 / Rashmi Talwar

Rashmi Talwar

Drama diplomacy between India and Pakistan / Published in 2014

Rashmi Talwar

Digging deep into the India-Pakistan psyche, I have suddenly arrived at a serious conclusion that aside of Punjabis signature bonhomie of Paapis – Jhaapis and the Buraaahs…on either sides of the border, the only thing that may still stall the nasty smoking guns of two nations is to straddle the ‘saas bahu’ serials from India to Pakistan and let the ‘Zindagi’ channel bring in the Gulzar (flower) syndrome to India.

Leave aside the Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) that have done nothing between India-Pak relations. And never mind poverty and proxy warts that cut into the resources of our impoverished countries, if our defense arsenals can remain flushed surely e-to-e (entertainment to entertainment ) exchange would be a cakewalk. 

This time the big nuclear Goliaths could fight on mm screens big or small with very little loss of life.

Surely ‘Tulsi’ India’s honorable HR minister -Samriti Irani must not underestimate her personal impact and those of her generation of TV actresses, on the audience west of Radcliff line. If wedding culture be the competition category, then India has aplenty. From sagai, joota-chupai to vidai. Damsels in Kanjivaram sarees, sindoors, bindiyas, bichhuas and cuddly relationship with their age-defying mom-in-laws, sounds interesting material for export.

Pakistani TV serial for instance – ‘Zindagi Gulzar hai’ may belt out soft background scores in keeping with the storyline but it has to match Indian serials technology with the actor’s entry welcomed with reactions enhanced by three-dimensional pointed echo or triple-zoom close-ups matching with three thumps, as if it was a Martian that entered the Indian home space clutter. Technically you can’t ever get this effect, without rolling eyes, a raised eyebrow, closely locked dentures, and a count of three.

Still ‘Zindagi Gulzar’s university life or Pak girls in discotheques on the other side of the border with a free mix of sexes could be virtually eye-popper for Indians especially those who noticed separate enclosures for men and women at the Indo-Pak Wagah Attari border.

Much like Tulsi’s ‘Kyuki saas be kabhi bahu thi’, serials like Parvati’s ‘Ghar Ghar ki Kahani’ could add a few footnotes to the relationship remix.  These ‘Made in India’ caricatures could use bold tag lines ‘serials double-up as  free lessons for growing daughters!’
After all, these serials have an applauding distinction of catching the highest number of female eyeballs in their 500-plus episodic roller coaster rides. The 500-Club has –Kyunki.., Ghar ghar.., Balika Vadhu, Uttraan, and many Dharmic and historical serials even as India yawns!

In the make-up segment, the non-make-up Pak beauties of the serial ‘Kash mein Teri beti na hoti’ merely look the part but our Indian heavy eye-shadowed, artificial-lash fluttering ‘poor’ Indian girl emerges a looker. Even ‘Kashaf’ as the heroine of the Pak serial ‘Zindagi Gulzar hai.’ should have had a good feather haircut instead of the simple plaid. 

The heroine in polka-dotted pajamas from Pak play ‘Aunn Zara’ may have tough competition with Indian child brides like ‘Anandi’ in  Balika Vadhu who sleeps in all rustling silk sarees, matching jewelry along with special non-bleeding night make-up complete with gloss, to emerge as goddesses at the strike of dawn. Beating Anandi are many, many more Indian actresses in stunning bedroom looks.

Only ‘Saman’ of Pak serial ‘Maat’ can give competition to our serial heroines. ‘Saman oozes oomph even in salwar suits’. Shhh … this may be  ISI plant or Pak propaganda!

India’s Amna Sharief as Kashish in ‘Kahin toh hoga’ with her designer suits surely will be a rocker.  

Remember the competition in these visual channels should be based entirely on the classic formula of ‘Dirty picture’ actress Vidya Balan dialogues–Entertainment! Entertainment! Entertainment! If Pak can use their two or four marriages syndrome as in ‘Kash mein teri beti na hoti’ and many daily series of ‘Kitne Girhain baki hain’ India can plug in old serials like ‘saans’ with Neena Gupta and Kawaljit of an adult affair or child-adult serial ‘Barey ache lagte hain’ and if that doesn’t suffice the Indian caste based serials of ‘Kyasth’ ki larki’  aur ‘Brahmin’ ka larka in ‘Ye pyar na hoga kaam’ could somewhat participate.

This time Pak is not resorting to its old tricks of fake currency, arms, cocaine packages, and suicide bombers and ready to heap a proxy war on India. They are taking the celluloid screens, those (All) watching ‘Zindagi’ channel in India know that Pak has come armed with its most potent missile of a bouquet of Pakistani dramas and Telefilms. Attacking and some ready to attack are Dil-e-Muzter, Silvatein, Shehr E Zaat, Dastan on Indo-Pak partition, Behadd-Telefilm, Durr-e-Shehwar, Humsafar, Adhoori Aurat, Virassat, Tanhai, Bulbulay,  Bilqees Kaur, Perchaiyan, Rehaai and hundreds of other ..Huff…Huff…I am out of breath now.

From women’s empowerment, and gender ties to social trends, Pak arsenal has a range. While India’s classics like Tareek Mehta ka Ulta Chashma, Office office, Balika Vadhu,  Na Ana iss des laado, Aik boond Ishq is merely like air rifle shots before the staccato fire. There was a time India made –‘Tamas’.

India! India! Wake- up! Let us throw the challenge of ‘Sach ka samna’ with the host extracting hidden tales of a person labeled the ‘bakra’. Pak could well enjoy and even float a tolly version of the show, of course, Amitabh Bachchan’s ‘Kon Banega Crorepati’ with its dharmic sawals could be a mismatch in the theological state.

Even India’s youngistan fare like ‘Splitvilla’, ‘Roadies’ stunt manias ‘Khatro ke Khiladi could turn lucky but the song and dance reality shows will score tops, don’t you see Indian songs playing in Pak serials.  

Well, ‘Comedy with Kapil’ could give some guffawick competition to Pak’s political and social satire sitcom ‘Hasb-be-haal’

However, all is not over for India. Other than cricketer turned politician Imran Khan and a Canada-based Pak cleric Mohammed Qadri historic democracy march, it is the Indian Actor Salman Khan’s ‘Kick’ that is kicking up a duststorm in Pakistan with a collection of 57.8 million in three days. Buzz says it garnered a whopping Rs 65,700,000 on this Eid in both Lahore and Karachi, even as Pak’s drama brigade flashily entered Indian homes riding on ‘Zindagi’ channel just before Eid on July 23rd. 

The Salman starer released on Eid became the highest holiday grosser in Pakistan with an estimated business of Rs 20.8 million Pak rupees daily and as many as 58 screenings in Karachi alone. “Other than Paf Cinema all other cinema halls in Lahore are running ‘Kick’ to full houses including Prime cinema, Tamaseel cinema, Cine gold,  Capital cinema, Prince cinema, Gulistan cinema, Rex and one in the  Fortress stadium called Sozo world.

Pak’s only claim to film fame in India has been -‘Khuda Ke liye’, ‘Bol’, and a cross breed ‘Tere Bin Laden’ a made-in-India set in Karachi film with Pak actor Ali Zafar in the lead.

Instead of India- Pak’s efforts on ‘Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) turn it around to (CFP)-

‘Come-hither Filmi Pressures’.   

00–00

Hamid Ansari- Incarcerated in Pak Jail/ Rashmi Talwar/ Kashmir Images

Hamid Ansari- Incarcerated in Pak Jail/

Rashmi Talwar

Kashmir Images /Book Review

Book Review

Rashmi Talwar 

Title: “Hamid – The story of my captivity, survival and freedom”

Authors: Hamid Ansari with Geeta Mohan

Publisher: Penguin eBury Press (Nov 2020)

Pages: 376

Price: Rs 399/

—————————————————————————————–

‘Love can move mountains’, if Hamid Ansari’s true to life story couldn’t prove this adage, surely, it must be false and concocted. Consider India, Pakistan and Afghanistan as egoistic mountains that actually moved to relent to a story of an Indian man possessed.

In this 376-page fast-paced book- “Hamid – The story of my captivity, survival, and freedom”, a stark reality stands out- ‘How Hamid a 27-year, MBA & Indian techie from Mumbai, could feel so madly for a girl that he dupes his family into believing he took a call from Afghanistan for a job, and then disappear. And as if, Afghanistan was not treacherous enough, he proceeded to crossover to Pakistan albeit without documents to fulfill his heart call!

Nurturing thoughts to deliver his self-felt beau, from an ancient tribal custom of ‘Wani’ prevalent in clannish belts of Pakistan bordering Afghanistan, the story of Hamid is an insider’s account of how he fearlessly embarked on a chivalrous or foolish journey of Op Freedom for an unseen sweetheart that landed him in illegal confinement and finally jails in Pakistan. Betrayed by Pakistani friends, he found himself conveniently delivered to the gleeful arms of corrupt government agencies in hostile Pakistan, condemned to be incarcerated and caged in one of the most inhuman conditions matching the gory torture.

Authored by Hamid Ansari with Geeta Mohan a Senior Journalist covering international relations, the story at first gives a filmy taste. However, reality dawns as the pages unravel a tale that could best be imaginative or a decision taken by the author, under some pleasurable drug. Written in simple language, the story oscillates between Hamid’s first-hand account and the persistent struggle of his mother Fauzia Ansari knocking on near deaf doors of India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.  It churns one’s insides and leaves one gawking in disbelief, with its naivety, yet the calm and grace of Fauzia while fighting for her son is, towering.

The guts and grit of Hamid seem extraordinary, to hold on to his own truth, of crossing borders as blatant savior of a Pakistani girl, despite extreme torture, the tactics, and taunts to embroil him to confess himself as a spy, primarily to score brownie points, as also, make him a negotiating tool at international forums with India. Some indiscretions somehow feel hidden, as sexual abuse in prisons world-over is known to be rampant, but has no mention even hidden amongst the blood and gore details or even in a hallucinating dream.

However what stares one in the face key role play of women over men! As many as six women stand out starkly, four from Pakistan.

> The online Pak woman enticer -Fiza.

> The Pak woman collaborator- Dr Shazia who along with other online friends from Pakistan, coaxes Hamid and makes him believe that she is with him in the gallantry he is supposed to commit in Pakistan.

> The courageous Pak woman -Zeenat Shehzadi, a cub journalist, who goes more than miles and stones, to expose the illegal confinement of Hamid in Pakistan.

> The Pak lawyer Rakshanda Naz, who despite the jarring enmity between nations believed and did everything a mother would do to set free a son for his mother.

> The Indian women being Hamid’s resilient mother Fauzia Ansari who stood like a rock and rolled like one too when and where needed to push for her son’s release.

> Another Indian woman is late Sushma Swaraj the formidable Union Minister of External Affairs who tried and pushed for Hamid’s homecoming in every possible manner.

 However, the book leaves a gaping hole about the core object of love, for whom, mountains were moved- Hamid’s quintessential love interest- that remains mysterious, unseen, unrequited, and seeming under the proverbial veil.

Overall, a compelling read, that swings from a trajectory of tragedy to hope and beyond.

Hamid Ansari: Indian Prisoner in Pakistan/ Rashmi Talwar/ Daily Kashmir Images

 

Hamid Ansari: Indian Prisoner in Pakistan/ Kashmir Images 
“My son committed a mistake, not a crime”: Fauzia
Hearing on November 1, Parents pray for mercy 
Rashmi Talwar 

Close on the heels of the forthcoming hearing in Indian Hamid Ansari’s case in Pakistan on November 1st, Fauzia Ansari, devastated mother of incarcerated Indian prisoner Hamid Ansari, pleads fervently to warring countries -India and Pakistan, to have mercy and release her innocent son.

“He committed a mistake not a crime”, Fauzia says in a broken voice to this correspondent soon after Ravneesh Kumar MEA spokesperson answered a query regarding the Indian Government’s efforts on consular access and the release of Hamid, in a press conference.

 

Hamid, lodged in Mardan Central Jail in Pakistan, had spent nearly five years in a Pak prison on framed charges of espionage. MEA in response at press conference stated “India had taken up the matter of Hamid with Pak government and expected an update on it soon”. The hearing is on Wednesday, and I pray for my son’s release to each set of governments. “He is innocent, repeats the distraught mother, a Hindi lecturer in a college in Mumbai.

 

The recent recovery of abducted Pakistani journalist Zeenat Shehzaadi (24) on October 19 has enflamed fresh hope for the release of Hamid. The Pak journalist was instrumental in tracing Fauzia and Nihal Ansari’s son Hamid in Pakistan. Zeenat’s investigative journalism led to admittance by police in Pakistan of being in custody of Hamid. In January 2016, Pakistan Police told Peshawar High Court that they had detained Hamid Nihal Ansari in 2012, and handed him over to intelligence officials. Four years later in February 2016, Hamid was deemed guilty of espionage and awarded a sentence of three years by a Pakistani military court.

 

Fauzia recalls – “I was in Mecca, holding the Kaaba for hours, seeking Blessings to find my son’s release, when I was persistently called on the phone. On calling back, I learnt it was Zeenat Shehzaadi who wanted to help me to locate my son and I promptly felt she was an angel who came as an answer to my prayers.”

 

Zeenat’s activism ruffled a few feathers. She was detained by ununiformed men and grilled for hours after she spoke to Indian High Commissioner at a public event. A week later, on August 19, 2015, she was waylaid by armed men and disappeared in mysterious circumstances during a rickshaw ride to work. Her disappearance had a shattering effect on her family, with her younger brother committing suicide in 2016, pining for her. She was released two years later recently on October 19, 2017. Her abduction had devastatingly shaken up Hamid’s family too.

 

Meantime, in Pakistan most journalists I talked to, felt that Hamid was innocent and only the two countries bitterness have mashed him between the wheels. Beena Sarwar a prominent Pak Journalist and researcher fervently pursued his and the abducted journalist Zeenat’s case. Taha Siddiqui Bureau Head of Wion News in Islamabad calls Hamid’s case – “A love affair turned into an espionage story.”

 

In Peshawar district, Rakshanda Naz an advocate and human rights activist, dealing with Hamid’s case is anxious on the approaching date of hearing. Talking over phone from Peshawar -“Mein Dua Karti Hu Ki Iss Barr Mein India Jaon Toh Hamid Ko Uski Ammi Ke Hawaley Karne.” (I wish I go to India this time, to hand over Hamid to his Mother). Fauzia tells me that Hamid’s lawyer Qazi Muhammad Anwar, from Peshawar, a Nishane-Imtiaz (highest civilian Award) Award winner and Naz didn’t charge them a single paisa for fighting the case of Hamid. A scared Fauzia after Zeenat’s abduction is terrified for their safety too.

 

Naz had met Hamid the first time he was produced before the court and many times thereafter with permission from authorities. “When Naz first met Hamid three and half years after his clandestine arrest, I asked her if he was wearing spectacles, she said ‘No’ and then I told her that he has a 6 and 6.5 number in both eyes and cannot see things even at a three meters distance. Naz and Anwar sahib got spectacles made for Hamid on their own, after I sent the doctor’s report to them,” Fauzia inserts and further says –“ Each minute of Hamid’s two and half days in Pakistan as an illegal entry, is accounted for and on record, how can he be charged with an espionage case? Even the fake identity card was given to him by his Pak Facebook friends prepared in ‘Pakistan’ who had lured and promised facilitation to Hamid to cross over from Afghanistan to Pakistan without any travel documents, as the border is porous. Soon after his two day stay with one of the FB friends, he was uncaringly deposited in a hotel in Kohat, Peshawar and tipped to the police by the same friends about his illegal entry. The police arrested him an hour after his check in at the hotel. Then, when did Hamid indulge in espionage activities? My son is not in government security services and has a clean background, well accounted for, then why aren’t Pakistan’s own citizens (friends) being probed, investigated to reach the truth?

 

Naz had filed an affidavit to shift Hamid to a more safer jail after the Indian was attacked in Peshawar jail- “The deteriorating relations between India – Pak proved heavy for Hamid when a Jail Havaldar of Kashmiri origin from Pak Administered Kashmir attacked Hamid in fury over situation in Indian side of Kashmir-“The Havaldar has been suspended and shifted from the jail. While Hamid was also shifted to Mardan Central Jail”, Naz filled in.

 

Naz says “I feel as a mother for Hamid who is innocent of the charges. Mein pur-umeed Hu Ki Hamid Ko Rehaa Kar Diya Jayga’ (I am fully hopeful that Hamid would be released).” And further adds- “Hamid’s name is recorded in the list of prisoners. I have access to talk to him every Monday on the phone. Whenever I meet him, I carry some eatables for him with permission from jail authorities and in return Hamid had created two beautiful beaded Karas (bangles) and a handbag for me. He intends to make more for his Ammi and Naani Ammi.

 

This February when I travelled to India, I carried a prayer cloth (Roomali) that Hamid gave me for his mother and handed it over to her.” Fauzia on her part has carefully put the unwashed-cloth wrapped in polythene and secretly sits with it to smell the fragrance of her son, denied as she is any visa for a visit to Pakistan. “No one knows about this little piece of my son’s body fragrance that I keep with me to feel him from afar”, Fauzia cries painfully on the phone. I just pray for his return every waking and sleeping moment of time”, she talks in a broken voice.

 

“Sushma Swaraj the External affairs minister has assured me in my six meetings with her mostly in Delhi and one when she came to Mumbai. I firmly believe her. She dealt with me like one mother to another. She takes up visa cases for terminally ill patients from Pakistan and I have full hope she will do her best for her Indian son.”

 

Naz on her part is scheduled to reach Mardan central on October 31st, a day before the hearing, and would pass on a letter to Hamid written by his mother Fauzia. I ask her what she plans to carry for Hamid – “It maybe – Shunwari Kabali Palao, Dor Pranthas, Anar or Milak powder milk. Let’s see what I can do, plus an English dictionary, newspapers and magazines, with permission from jail authorities”, she says.

 

On an earlier occasion, when asked about who would she want to be released first -Hamid her son or Zeenat Shehzaadi the Pak journalist? Fauzia had unflinchingly said – “Zeenat”, as I feel morally responsible for her abduction”.

 

Honey Trapped: Hamid Ansari’s surreal story

 

Hamid’s story involves the core country triangle of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Fauzia, describes her young handsome son as Mumbai-based MBA and an I T Engineer, a Rotary Club president 2012, before he proceeded to Kabul on November 4, 2012 for a job in Afghanistan’s Aviation sector on a tourist visa.

 

“Till November 10, he was in touch with the family via Tele no. +93707295124 and expected back on Nov15th”, she adds. Alarmed by the lost connection thereafter and Hamid’s non-arrival on the appointed date, the family went through his Facebook account. “Hamid had not logged out from Facebook on our home computer and therefore we became privy to his entire conversational details”, says Fauzia.

 

“His Facebook account revealed- Hamid was in regular contact with Pakistani friends Atta-Ur-Rehman, Saba Khan, Abdulla Zaid Khatak, Humaira Hanif, Dr. Shazia Khan and a tribal girl of Kohat, named Nadia.” Based on conversations, Fauzia believes Nadia was more close to him, and revealed to him that she was a victim of “VANI”- a prevalent social evil by a Jirga (council of village elders ) who had ordered her into a forcibly marriage as punishment for crime committed by her male relatives. Hamid, determined to save Nadia was egged on and coaxed by other Pakistani friends to cross over from the porous Torkham border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. “Did he possess a visa for Pakistan?” “No”! The mother replies- “Hamid had no legal documents for travelling to Pakistan.”

 

“Among Hamid’s Pakistani friends Atta-Ur- Rehman, kept Hamid in his house for two days and on the third day Abdullah Khatak deposited him in Palwasha Hotel in Kohat from where he was whisked away in an hour by the Pakistan police. This account was according to a young Pakistani journalist Zeenat Shehzaadi, who investigated Hamid’s case. She came in touch with his case, through Pakistan’s Human Rights Commission, an independent non-profit organization, which was seized about the matter of Hamid’s case. “It was clearly a case of honey-trap,” Fauzia says, on learning about sequence of events, mostly from Zeenat.

 

Zeenat who regularly updated her status on social media Facebook, last updated her post on August 18, 2015 and has vanished ever since, claims Fauzia.

 

“Zeenat came in our contact in May 2013. She filed habeas corpus petition on my behalf (as mother) in Peshawar high court (w.p.#1082/2014) and also registered an appeal in Supreme Court of Pakistan, Human Rights Cell which promptly formed JIT to investigate the case. The petition was last heard in Peshawar High Court on 13th January 2016. The Court ruled with ref to wp/1082/2014 based on the report by DAG that Hamid my son is under military custody and being tried. Hamid was tried in military court and got sentenced for 3 years imprisonment for the alleged charges of espionage.”

 

Holding back tears, Fauzia says –“My son has been incarcerated for a period of more than four years (Nov-2012 to Nov 2016) in Peshawar Jail. In March 2016, I filed a mercy petition for clemency for the period spent in custody to be considered, but my plea was dismissed.

 

Our visa applications to visit Pakistan to see my son were rejected, I appeal to Pak government to release my son Hamid on compassionate grounds as he has suffered enough for his innocent fault”.

 

A flicker of hope in humanity came from people like Qazi Muhammad Anwar and Rakshanda Naz, who didn’t charge me a single rupee for handling Hamid’s case and I am eternally grateful to them.” And adds –“Till my son returns home, my cup of woes will be full.”

 

Hamid has already filed a petition seeking commissioning of his sentence to include the period he was held under custody, that completes his jail term of three years which would move the wheels of legal process more swiftly, for his release orders. It has yet to be seen how Hamid’s case shapes up during the forthcoming hearing on November-1st.

 

Amritsar based writer is an Independent Journalist and can be emailed at: rashmitalwarno1@gmail.com

INDIAN PEACENIKS AIMS TO REFRESH BROTHERHOOD SPIRIT WITH PAKISTANIS

Indian peaceniks aim to refresh brotherhood spirit with Pakistanis
Feb 23rd, 2009 | By Sindh Today | Category: India
Wagah border (Amritsar), Feb.27 (ANI): While diplomatic circles in India and Pakistan are engaged in formally getting the suspended composite dialogue back on track, peaceniks of both countries are doing their bit to remind one and all that peace and brotherhood are key to an improved future.
Noted peacenik and journalist Kuldip Nayyar has once again attempted to break the logjam on confidence building measures.
Nayyar is leading a 14-member Indian delegation that included artistes, activists, academicians and journalists. The delegation will aim to send a brotherly message and seek in earnest to apply balm to wounds that have surfaced post 26/11.
The other members of the delegation are film director Mahesh Bhatt, social activist Swami Agnivesh and historian Salman Haider.
Highlighting why peace is most important for this region for the happiness and prosperity of people in this region, the delegation would urge Pakistan authorities not to allow use of their soil for terror activities.
‘The main aim of the delegation is to make the civil society strong. And we will ask the Pakistani authorities, whom we meet to not to allow their soil be used for violence and also urge that the perpetrators should be punished,’ said Kuldeep Nayyar.
Bhatt said that India and Pakistan peace dialogue should not reach a point of no-return.
‘We should not reach to a point of status quo. We will have to find a new way out. It was really bad to what had happened for us in Mumbai and Pakistan should move ten steps ahead and take action on the people who are responsible. And they should win hearts of the Indians,’ said Mahesh Bhatt.
Asma Jahangir, the United Nations Special Representative on Freedom of Religion or Belief and Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, received the peace delegation, which is to return to India on February 26.
Asma said that the two countries could not move ahead until they understand each other.
‘We know that the relations between the two countries are not and have not been good. There have been tensions between them. The message is that we cannot move forward until we understand conditions and problems of each other,’ said Asma Jahangir. (ANI)

Rashmi Talwar
Email : rashmitalwar@gmail.com

We also do Media Organizing and offer Public Relations Services in Punjab