Cricket Controversy Shows Depth of India-Pakistan Tensions – Foreign Policy

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The most prominent events this week: The Indian National Cricket Team Snubs Pakistan on the field, divides Nepal in the temporary leader Social Karki After the mass protests forced the Prime Minister to resign, and USA’s hostilities Adam Bouhler returns to Kabul.

Snub reflects the handshake of a tense moment

The Indian and Pakistani National Cricket teams in the Asian Cup in Dubai were confronted on Sunday. The result was not a surprise: India, one of the sports forces, easily defeated Pakistan. After that, the India team did not shake hands with the Pakistani cricket players and left the field. In response, the Pakistani team refused to participate in a press conference after the match.

The captain of India, Syrians Yadaf, said after the match that the previously planned gesture was aimed at indicating solidarity with the victims of the terrorist attack in April in Bahajam, the Indian director, Kashmir, who killed 26 civilians. India blamed the attack on Pakistan and pushed a short military conflict between the two countries. Pakistan has repeatedly denied its involvement in the Paalgam attack.

Snub reflects the handshake reflects an unknown area of ​​relations between India and Pakistan. Even during the tense moments, relations between people flourished; Countries have increased trade immediately after military conflicts. A peace initiative led by the citizen was launched under the auspices of media groups in both countries barely a year after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which were carried out by Lashkar-E-TAIBA in Pakistan.

Cricket diplomacy has always been part of this story-a trend dating back to the history of 1987, when the Pakistani military dictator Dia Al-Haq traveled to India to watch the India Test match in Pakistan in a moment of increasing tensions on the disputed Kashmir. The two teams have faced several times in recent years, always with intimate friendship and good sporting spirit.

Vapi looked a different match even before the start of the game. Some former Indian politicians called their team not to participate in the matches with Pakistan in the Asian Cup – a position that is likely affected by the families of Paalgam victims. The protests erupted before the match, and a few students of Indian law made a petition, saying that it contradicts the national interest. (The Supreme Court ruled against it).

On the one hand, Snub’s handshake was not condemned to the homeland: the Indian government was silent, and many people praised this step. A senior Indian cricket official said that people should focus on the victory of India, not the controversy.

But this strike of cricket diplomacy, of course, indicates a particularly tense moment in the relationship of India Pakistan. The conflict in May was the most intense between the two countries for decades. After Pahalgam’s attack, India also took non -military steps to undermine people directly from people, including closing the borders and suspending all trade.

Ultimately, this episode does not preach well the long -term path of bilateral relationships. The exchange of people can build confidence and help stabilize the broader relationship. Today, with India’s relations with the ice and their lack of presence on the horizon, the shrinking space for cooperation outside government channels will make it difficult to restore matters on the right track.

What we are following

Nepal is divided into a temporary leader. Sushila Karki, a former head of the Supreme Court at the 73 -year -old Supreme Court, was appointed Prime Minister in Nepal last Friday. The move came a few days after the mass turmoil over corruption – in which 72 people were killed – resigned from Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

Karki acknowledged many young activists who led protests last week. The government will lead for six months, with elections in March. Along with the other new ministers the constitutional oath on Sunday, Karki has a good reputation as a strong preacher to combat corruption and who pledged to follow up the demands to improve governance.

Nepal’s response to mass protests is similar to the response of Bangladesh last year, as a leader has been replaced by the overthrow of a personality respected, especially among young people. But what distinguishes Nepal is that the interim government quickly sets a date for the elections, which may be a good sign of stability. (On the contrary, the temporary leaders in Bangladesh refused to provide a timetable for the official transition until recently.)

However, the interim government of Nepal will continue to face similar-special challenges in managing the audience’s high expectations for long-term ambitious reforms that will take a long time to implement.

The United States, Kabul’s speakers. The United States’ envoy met with hostages Adam Boel and the former US ambassador to Afghanistan Zalzal Khalilzad with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Mukhi in Kabul last Saturday. The Taliban government statement said that the two sides reached an agreement on the release of prisoners, but they did not provide details. Many hostages remain in the country.

Four American hostages were released this year: During the last hours of the administration of President Joe Biden in January (Ryan Corbit and William McCain), and two in March after a visit to Boiler and Khaldad (George Galzmann and Fai Hall). The Taliban regime called for the release of Mohamed Rahim, the last Afghan citizen in the Gulf of Guantanamo.

There was no official American statement on the last visit. Foreign Minister Marco Rubio told correspondents during the weekend that Bouhler was in Kabul “to explore what is possible”, indicating that the discussions did not focus on any specific prisoner release.

Both sides have strong incentives to see talks through: The goal of the basic policy of the Trump administration in Afghanistan is to secure the launch of captive American citizens, while the Taliban government is keen to obtain more legitimacy from the United States in its efforts to normalize relations.

South Asian leaders at the Doha summit. Pakistani Prime Minister Shaybaz Sharif, President Malidis Mohamed Mouizo, and Bangladesh’s foreign advisor, Tahdid Hussein, attended a private Arab -Islamic summit in Doha on Monday, which expressed its solidarity with Qatar after the Israeli air strikes against gel leaders in its territory last week.

Although there may not be much that unites the countries of South Asia with an Islamic majority, they often meet to condemn Israeli actions.

Pakistan may need to walk more carefully than others, though: it flirts with the power of the Trump administration with trade opportunities related to critical minerals, energy and cryptocurrencies because it looks forward to strengthening relationships on a wider scale. This awareness can be affected if Pakistan’s criticism of Israel is received in Washington.

Pakistan did not retract the criticism of the Israel war in Gaza and its recent conflict with Iran, during which the United States carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear establishments. The Qatar crisis may have faded in a call between Rubio and his Pakistani counterpart, Isaac Dar, last Sunday.

Under the radar

Nearly 460 people, most of them soldiers, have been killed so far this year in attacks in the two provinces of West Pakistan, and there are evidence indicating that Tehreek-E-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has deepened its existence and impact in the region.

Pakistan has struggled to reduce the rise in terrorist attacks in its west, near the border with Afghanistan, since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul more than four years ago. Most of the TTP attacks were carried out by bases in Afghanistan; The Taliban regime has not done much to address them.

Pakistan has previously followed a set of measures, including building a fence on the border, talking with TTP, and firing air strikes in Afghanistan. But as the attacks continue, recent days indicate that Pakistan is considering increasing efforts to curb TTP militancy.

Last week, the Pakistani army launched three separate operations in TTP camps near the border with Afghanistan. Nineteen Pakistani soldiers and 45 militants were killed during these raids, according to military estimates.

According to the Pakistani air strikes on Sunday, the guesthouse in the Khyber Bakhtonguhu Province, where it was believed that TTP members were present. Although Pakistan is clearly looking to expel the growing TTP presence within its borders, the group is still based in Afghanistan, which means that the fighters will continue to cross the border.

This indicates that Pakistan may consider operations in Afghanistan – perhaps even walking beyond the limited air strikes it was transporting before. According to Pakistani reports, the Special Representative of Pakistan in Afghanistan was scheduled to visit this week to deliver a “strict message” to the Taliban about “facilitating” TTP.

Salamabad will speak strongly. However, hitting Afghanistan strongly can lead to an increase in tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban regime in Kabul, while the incendiary land operations within its borders are at risk of local communities and a propaganda victory to TTP.

Read the most read this week

Regional voices

in Daily StarProfessor of Engineering MD. Shafique Islam He puts what to do before activating the nuclear power plant in Bangladesh next year, and the bonuses that the factory can bring. “Robor is not just another huge project,” he writes. “It represents an obligation to enhance the culture of safety, security, transparency and long -term responsibility in the peaceful use of nuclear technology.”

in Pakistan todayAnalyst Suleiman Zia He argues that Pakistani cricket struggles go beyond failure on the field. “They are the product of deeper neglect in planning, management and development,” he writes. “The real question is not whether Pakistan can win a match, but whether it can build a system that produces excellence over decades.”

A Kathmando Post Editorial He confirms that Karki, the interim prime minister in Nepal, must maintain the individual focus on preparing for the elections in March. “Of course, as head of government, she will have to deal with many issues from the first day. But if the time in time is the axis of the government, many other issues will take care of themselves,” says the opening article.