Singh is King
Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh watch the match in Mohali. PHOTOS: AFP
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who took a calculated risk in inviting his Pakistani counterpart, Yousaf Raza Gilani, emerged as triumphant as Team India on Wednesday evening.
In an inspired moment immediately after it was known India would face Pakistan in the semi-final, Dr Singh had invited Mr Gilani over to watch the match. On Wednesday, he won hearts, and some points, as the Men in Blue cleaned up Pakistan on the cricket field, leading to a thrilling 29-run victory for the home side.
Off the field, both Prime Ministers sat down for what foreign secretary Nirupama Rao said was “a wide-ranging conversation on several issues of relevance to both India and Pakistan”, ranging from “cooperative solutions” to resolve mutual concerns to situations developing consequent to the popular uprisings in the West Asia/North Africa region.
Though emphasising the importance of finding “a proper closure” on Pakistan-based investigations into the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack in 2008, Ms Rao noted that India’s re-engagement with Pakistan, held against the backdrop of the ongoing semi-final, was in “a truly cricketing spirit”.
Speaking to reporters at the Union Territory Guest House late on Wednesday evening, the foreign secretary said: “It would be fair to say that a Mohali spirit now pervades our relationship, and (it) is extremely positive.”
“Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reiterated the need for an atmosphere free of violence and terrorism and Prime Minister Gilani shared the sentiment,” she said, without specifying, however, if the two leaders had shared any specific reference to 26/11.
Being careful to term this summit of sorts at the Mohali stadium as only a “conversation over dinner” and not formal “talks”, the foreign secretary said the meeting constituted a significant “re-engagement” with Pakistan. “The game of cricket provided the impetus for this meeting. A game played well and with sportsmanship provides direction,” she said.
The India-Pakistan re-engagement is to move ahead through continuing dialogue commencing with a meeting of the two commerce secretaries in Islamabad next month, followed by subsequent meetings between the defence secretaries, the surveyors-general, foreign secretaries and eventually the two foreign ministers later in the year.
“We have begun 2011 with a positive agenda that augurs well for the future,” Ms Rao said. “Mohali reaffirms the good intentions of both governments.”
There are many options on the way ahead for India, including Mr Gilani’s invitation to Dr Singh to visit Pakistan as well as an invitation for the Indian cricket team to play a match in Lahore, Faisalabad or Rawalpindi.
But nothing perhaps signifies the new India-Pakistan bonhomie more than Dr Singh’s public acknowledgement of Mr Gilani’s own ancestor — Mian Mir — who laid the foundation of Amritsar’s Golden Temple more than 500 years ago.
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