Daily Times

Exasperating under the spell of a “monsoon on steroids,” there could not have been a more extraordinary time for Pakistan and by extension, the need for some extraordinary measures. So, despite brownie points to Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for raising the plight of Kashmiris as the chair of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, he could have been advised better on how to tread upon the Indian tightrope. The ongoing wrath of mother nature has not left us with many doors open and thus, now is not the time to smash any bridges. That New Delhi has not yet extended a helping hand has reared several burning questions in the neighbourhood; forcing Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reconsider the implications of his apparent apathy. Leading voices of Indian media have repeatedly reminded him that just hoping “for an early restoration of normalcy” is not enough.

He could have pandered to human tragedies unfolding at a throw away and gained phenomenal rise in popularity charts. After all, Pakistan has, on numerous occasions, taken the high road by prioritising human welfare over political animosity. May it be the 2001 earthquake in Gujarat or the recent pandemic scare, we have tried reaching out in a bid to reduce the tenacity of (if not, avert altogether) any emergency. The volume of our relief items might not have been significant, but sometimes, gestures are all that’s needed. From Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s reciprocation on social media to Finance Minister Miftah Ismail’s inclination on importing vegetables and edible items from across the border, the top political actors have, indeed, displayed their well-disposition towards any humanitarian support from India.

However, a country that actively projects itself as the “first responder” to disasters has shown little to no interest in extending its hand of help to victims of a flood described as one “of Biblical proportions.” Wasn’t it just recently that Pakistan had allowed Indian trucks filled with wheat to travel to Afghanistan in the name of empathy to their suffering? Since charity is said to begin at home, these double standards, especially when it comes to fundamental principles of humanity, cannot paint India in favourable hues. And while Islamabad has been forced to scramble for help, it is trying to make a strong outreach to friendlier nations. Our focus stays on the disaster, but next door: it is bigoted politics as usual. *