Tit-for-tat

On January 27, Daily Times carried a news item reflective of the harm the recent chill in Indo-Pak relations has had on Pakistan’s cinema business. “Cinema operators fear the spike in cross-border tensions could doom their businesses”. The News, on January 29 said: “two wrongs do not make a right....Pakistan must show itself to possess greater acumen and maturity....Cinema owners in Pakistan have expressed concern over the possibility of a ban on Bollywood films...It is also a fact that these films will help promote the competition that the local film industry needs to move out of its present state of stagnation...By refusing to do so Pakistan would play a positive part in moving towards a more normal relationship with India, demonstrating that, unlike New Delhi, it has no desire to add to the existing tensions but is instead determined to end them.”

Mission Possible?

The News in the January 29 editorial sang paeans to US President Barack Obama for choosing Al Arabiya for his first interview. “He told the Muslim world Americans were ‘not your enemy’...The fact that Obama chose an Arab news channel to give his first interview as president is in itself significant. Clearly he sees building a warmer relationship with the Muslim world as a key priority. Already, there are signals, as Obama noted in his interview, that Al-Qaeda leaders are wary of Washington’s new chief. Like many of us, they perhaps wonder what his plans are and where he intends to take the world.”

... contd.