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Indian journalists ordered out of Pakistan Indian journalists ordered out of Pakistan
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The only two Indian journalists working in Pakistan have been ordered out of the country despite Islamabad's professed desire for better relations with India, and the probable election this week of a new government in New Delhi led by a Hindu nationalist party. The only two Indian journalists working in Pakistan have been ordered out of the country despite the Islamabad government's professed desire for better relations with India and the probable election this week of a new government in New Delhi led by a Hindu nationalist party.
The two journalists had been working under tight restrictions in Islamabad for less than a year when they were informed that their visas would not be renewed and they must leave the country by next Tuesday. The two journalists had been working under tight restrictions in Pakistan's capital for less than a year when they were informed that their visas would not be renewed and they must leave the country by next Tuesday. Meena Menon from the Hindu and Snehesh Alex Philip of the Press Trust of India were not given any explanation of why they had to leave.
Neither Meena Menon from The Hindu nor Snehesh Alex Philip of the Press Trust of India were given any explanation of why they had to leave. The two governments allow for a limited number of journalists from the other country to work inside their borders, although no Pakistani news organisation has taken up the offer in recent years.
Under an agreement the two governments allow for a limited number of journalists from the other country to work inside their borders, although no Pakistani news organisation has taken up the offer in recent years. Indian journalists working in Pakistan have complained of living under heavy surveillance and being denied permission to travel outside Islamabad.
Indian journalists working in Pakistan have complained of living under heavy surveillance and being denied permission to travel outside the capital, Islamabad. The expulsions come despite the ambition of the prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, to improve relations between the two countries, which have gone to war four times since gaining independence from Britain in 1947. During last year's election campaign, he went out of his way to give interviews with visiting Indian journalists in which he called for greater trade and cooperation.
The expulsions come despite the ambition of the prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, to improve relations between the two countries – which have gone to war four times since gaining independence from Britain in 1947. During last year's election campaign he went out of his way to give interviews with visiting Indian journalists, in which he called for greater trade and cooperation with India. If Sharif is to deliver on his promises, he will most likely have to deal with a government led by Bharatiya Janata, the Hindu nationalist party that appears set to sweep to power after 10 years in opposition.
If Sharif is to deliver on his promises he will most likely have to deal with a government led by Bharatiya Janata, the Hindu nationalist party that appears set to sweep to power after 10 years in opposition. Exit polls published this week predict a huge win for the BJP, led by the controversial and polarising Narendra Modi, when the results are announced by election authorities on Friday. Such polls have been wrong on several previous occasions, however, and officials of the Congress party, in power since 2004, say they expect to be able to continue in government after forming alliances with smaller parties.
Exit polls published earlier this week predicted a huge win for the BJP, led by the controversial and polarising Narendra Modi, when the actual results are announced by election authorities on Friday. Such polls have been wrong on several previous occasions, however, and officials of the Congress party, in power since 2004, say they expect to be able to continue in government after forming alliances with smaller parties. Modi's potential foreign policy has caused anxiety and hope among regional observers. Many fear he might react badly to any incident of terrorism within India, routinely blamed on Pakistan, or a flare-up over the disputed territory of Kashmir. Others say he has the nationalist credentials to conclude a lasting peace agreement with Pakistan and point to the example of the last BJP prime minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Modi's potential foreign policy has caused both anxiety and hope among regional observers. Many fear he might react badly to any incident of terrorism within India, routinely blamed on Pakistan, or a flare-up over the disputed territory of Kashmir. Others say he has the nationalist credentials to conclude a lasting peace agreement with Pakistan and point to the example of the last BJP prime minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The Indian ministry of foreign affairs said the expulsions were regrettable. "It is ... unfortunate that the two Indian correspondents in Pakistan have been asked to leave prematurely and suddenly only a few months after their arrival," the ministry said in a statement.
The Indian ministry of foreign affairs said the expulsions were "regrettable". "Not allowing independent journalists to function is a retrograde step, especially as free flow of information between India and Pakistan has long been recognised as an important confidence building measure."
"It is ... unfortunate that the two Indian correspondents in Pakistan have been asked to leave prematurely and suddenly only a few months after their arrival. Not allowing independent journalists to function is a retrograde step, especially as free flow of information between India and Pakistan has long been recognised as an important confidence building measure," the ministry said in a statement.
Murtaza Solangi, a former head of state-run Radio Pakistan, said he feared the decision to send the pair out of the country was a sign the country's powerful military establishment was reasserting its claim over key areas of foreign policy, in particular the relationship with India.Murtaza Solangi, a former head of state-run Radio Pakistan, said he feared the decision to send the pair out of the country was a sign the country's powerful military establishment was reasserting its claim over key areas of foreign policy, in particular the relationship with India.
"It seems like foreign policy and national security is going out of the domain of Mr Sharif," he said. "The government has been told these things are not your job.""It seems like foreign policy and national security is going out of the domain of Mr Sharif," he said. "The government has been told these things are not your job."
The army is thought to be resistant to making any concessions to India while the two sides continue to disagree on intractable disputes, in particular the status of the disputed former princely state of Kashmir.The army is thought to be resistant to making any concessions to India while the two sides continue to disagree on intractable disputes, in particular the status of the disputed former princely state of Kashmir.
The Sharif government has already shelved plans to grant India a "most favoured nation" trade deal that would help to boost the very limited commerce between the two countries.The Sharif government has already shelved plans to grant India a "most favoured nation" trade deal that would help to boost the very limited commerce between the two countries.
Despite repeated public promises by the prime minister to look into the case of Declan Walsh, a New York Times journalist expelled shortly before Sharif's election, the veteran Pakistan correspondent has not been allowed to return.Despite repeated public promises by the prime minister to look into the case of Declan Walsh, a New York Times journalist expelled shortly before Sharif's election, the veteran Pakistan correspondent has not been allowed to return.
"What kind of message are they trying to send by expelling these two in this unceremonious way, just before a new government comes to power in Delhi?" Said Mehmal Sarfraz, deputy secretary general of the South Asia Free Media Association. "The timing is very suspicious." Mehmal Sarfraz, deputy secretary general of the South Asia Free Media Association, said: "What kind of message are they trying to send by expelling these two in this unceremonious way, just before a new government comes to power in Delhi? The timing is very suspicious."