Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during election of the Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha, in New Delhi. (PTI Photo)
India-Pak: Good neighbourly relations?
At the 51st anniversary of the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ishaq Dar said that the country “seek[s] good-neighbourly relations with India”. In Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term, this is the first official expression of Pakistan’s stance toward India. Dar elaborated further saying that New Delhi and Islamabad owe it to the people of South Asia to “prioritise cooperation over discord”.
Dawn (June 27) believes that “considering Mr Dar’s position on the totem pole, the public outreach to India appears to be a serious attempt to mend ties. From here, the onus is on India to reciprocate.”
Meanwhile, Daily Times (June 25) strongly rebukes India on Kashmir saying, “Modi’s authoritarian tendencies have been on full display in his handling of the Kashmir issue for years on end… If New Delhi is not ready to read the writing on the blood-stained wall, perhaps, the international community could play its due role in holding the Indian government accountable for its actions.”
Julian Assange is a free man
On June 26, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange pleaded guilty to the count of violating the espionage law and walked out as a free man — allowing him to return to his home country Australia. The general narrative of the media hails Assange’s work as a journalist and condemns the US for its actions that he exposed.
News International (June 27) says, “As it turns out, the US is just as keen to keep its dirty work secret, all the better to keep getting its hands dirty, as any other so-called ‘authoritarian government’… As far as professional journalists and other media practitioners concerned with pursuing the truth no matter where it leads are concerned, the trial of Assange and his ilk reveals that they have no friends outside of their fellow brethren.”
The Nation (June 26) lauds Assange for his work and believes that “the leaks will always be remembered, and his work speaks of his mission as a journalist. Even if he does not continue, some other bold journalist will carry his torch forward.”
Trump vs Biden
The US is slated to go to the polls in November this year. Democratic Party candidate and current President Joe Biden faced off against Republican Party candidate and former President Donald Trump in the first presidential debate of 2024. Here’s what the media had to say about it.
Daily Times (June 29) remarks, “To see two veteran politicians turn an important platform reserved for candidates to discuss their policies for the nation into a chaotic shouting match filled with personal attacks and insults was a miserable commentary on the state of democracy in the free world’s torch bearer. Neither one of them really knew what he was talking about.”
News International (June 29) agrees and reflects on the greater question of competence saying, “In some ways, Trump and Biden put together are a perfect metaphor for the 21st-century US. Old and incompetent, criminal and unprincipled, selfish and stubborn, with their best years behind them. That these men still find themselves at the top only points to a greater sea of incompetence and dishonesty around them.”
Heatwave toll in Pakistan
As in India, the heatwave in Pakistan has not spared anyone. According to the Edhi mortuary, 427 bodies were brought only in the last four days with the majority being “from poor areas where there is extended load-shedding”. Soaring temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius along with the humidity in Karachi make the real-time temperature feel like 49 degrees Celsius. The media reminds stakeholders of the 2015 heatwave tragedy that claimed 1,500 lives due to heatstroke with thousands of others suffering from other heat-related stress to ensure that there is no repeat.
According to Dawn (June 27), “In the civilised world, these figures would sound the death knell of a government… Lessons and actions are overdue. The government must hit the ground running with a nationwide strategy.”
Express Tribune (June 26) points out the gaps in implementation and urges authorities to take action. It says, “Despite the temperature consistently intensifying across the country, heat-related climate disasters are yet to be prioritised for funding… Heat wave management plans have been drawn up, but their implementation remains inconsistent… lack of focus on creating green spaces have only worsened people’s predicament. The authorities need to take stock of the rapid change in climate across the country and start planning ahead.”
adya.goyal@expressindia.com
