As a Pakistani Who Grew Up On Cricket & Violence, I Hope for Peace

A cricket-loving Pakistani recalls growing up in the shadow of violence and turmoil.

My father has already started narrating tales of the 1965 war. He says that he clearly remembers the aerial firing on a bus which killed at least a dozen in Mianwali, Imran Khan’s hometown. His anecdotes reminded me of another war story. The first news that my memory registered was the Kargil war.

I was six at the time, all pumped up to watch my first cricket World Cup. Our team, I was told, was the best in generations. However, I acutely remember how hysteria pervaded the air at the time. As a child, celebrations of war got to me too. I would imagine how I would react if we were attacked.

We lost the World Cup and I was engulfed by sadness. We had lost more than 900 soldiers by the end of the Kargil war. The country plunged into martial law once again, and, subsequently, another war.

This war was different, though. It was a war against our own, from within. It was a war that had no definitive rules. The terrorist chose the time and location of their own liking. They killed civilians and uniformed men alike.

My growing-up days were filled with violence and turmoil. For my generation, our memories work around famous cricket matches and acts of violence during the war on terror.

Told Myself I Wouldn’t Indulge in War Hysteria

When the Pulwama attack and a subsequent Indian intrusion ensued, I warned myself not to indulge in war hysteria and analyse things objectively.

Over the years, India has carefully managed the narrative of Pakistan’s status as a terrorist-sponsoring country. Pakistan’s uncalled for escalation at Kargil and its unabashed support for militant groups played into their hands too.

While Pakistan was busy in a war inflicted by its own doings, Indian blame for acts of terror on its territory didn’t help the cause. From Mumbai attacks to Pathankot, Uri and now Pulwama, there was never a concerted effort made by either side to forge peace and resolve the issue through dialogue.

One after the other, these attacks gave way to the paradigm of surgical strikes. Realists in international relations believe that balance of power ensures peace. As India carried out an ambitious surgical strike in 2016, Pakistan’s response was muted. This tilted the balance of power in favour of India and emboldened them to strike again post Pulwama.

Hoping for Both Sides to Act Responsibly

As a generation that saw suicide attacks almost every other week in the years of heightened violence, we can empathise with families of those 42 soldiers. The pain their families bore can’t be avenged.

However, India’s intrusion into Pakistan’s working boundary was not only a move too far, but also a cause for concern for the region. This is after Pakistan’s prime minister had categorically asked for intelligence-based action against those using Pakistan’s territory for terrorism. India should have given peace a chance and treated Pakistan as an equal.

Any action by Pakistan should be calculated and must not lead to war. Just like the then-USSR and United States did after the Cuban Missile Crisis, Pakistan and India should handle the recent round of escalations responsibly.

Political Rhetoric Won’t Solve Old Crisis

Unless both sides engage in a dialogue process, they will only end up fighting for the rest of their lives. There is a need for sincere introspection at both levels. Modi and Imran Khan’s inclination to escalation across the border will benefit none.

As another Cricket World Cup nears, another war will only take us back into the abyss we were in two decades ago. For a generation that witnessed war and for whom violence has been second nature, peace is all we want.

(The writer is a multimedia journalist and a sports enthusiast with extensive journalism experience with Pakistan Today, a local daily. )

(This is an opinion piece and the views expressed above are the author’s own. The Quintneither endorses nor is responsible for the same.)

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