The Hindu : Media can play a role in peace-building: Pak. MP

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Nov 04, 2003

National

National

Media can play a role in peace-building: Pak. MP

By Kalpana Sharma

MUMBAI Nov. 3. She caught everyone's eye when a group of Pakistani parliamentarians came across the Wagah border a few months ago. But Sherry Rehman, the Pakistan People's Party MP and former editor of the monthly magazine Herald, is more than just a striking Pakistani woman. In the city at the invitation of the Mumbai chapter of the Pakistan India People's Forum for Peace and Democracy, Ms. Rehman asserts that she is committed to the "third track" of diplomacy through people-to-people contact.

Speaking to the press, she urged the media on both sides of the border to play a responsible role in the peace-building process. The English language press in Pakistan, she said, "has taken a brave, independent position since 1987 and has been strongly critical even on national security issues. But I am disturbed by the state of the English mainstream media in this country which takes strong critical positions on domestic issues but its reporting on foreign policy mirrors the views of South Block."

While commending the Indian Government for the 12 confidence building measures that were suggested, Ms. Rehman stressed that sustainable peace between India and Pakistan was not possible unless all issues were put on the table. "We should not insult each other. Real diplomacy cannot be a flippant exercise. If India is concerned about cross-border terrorism, let's put it on the table. If Pakistan wants to talk about Kashmir, let that be on the table too. You cannot begin a process by laying down pre-conditions and telling the other party that you will talk about everything except what the other side considers important," she said.

At the same time, she emphasised that any discussion on Kashmir must involve Kashmiris from "both sides of the border" because "Kashmir is not a real estate issue".

Ms. Rehman suggested that one way of dispelling the myths that surround the Kashmir issue would be to allow the media from both countries to travel and write about conditions in the region on both sides of the border. "Azad Kashmir is integrated in many ways with Pakistan. But we welcome you to come and see the reality. Transparency is critical," she said.

One of the major concerns of this journalist-turned-parliamentarian is the status of women in Pakistan.

Ms. Rehman heads the Women's Parliamentary Group and has introduced a Bill for Empowerment and Protection of Women, 2003.

The most significant aspect of this bill is its demand that the Hudood Ordinance of 1979 be repealed in its entirety. "The laws under this ordinance are largely anti-women and anti-minority," explained Ms. Rehman.

"They have never been debated in Parliament but were brought in by a dictator, Zia ul-Haq as an administrative fiat. They have resulted in a huge miscarriage of justice. This is a medieval code of justice imposed on women whose rights are already precarious."

Ms. Rehman says that the issue is being debated almost daily in Pakistan and her party hopes that it will get adequate support to ensure that the Bill goes through Parliament.

In the city, Ms. Rehman will release a music album composed and sung by a well-known singer from Jammu and Kashmir, Seema Sehgal, containing songs dedicated to Indo-Pak friendship.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National