Peregrine
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An open letter to Pervaiz Musharaff from Attiqa Oddho
Dear President Musharraf,
Just a note to share how one feels regarding the Indian government denying you a visit visa. Frankly, didn't come as a shock to most of us as you have many a times gone there, faced them, eyeball to eyeball and won over both their public and their press each time. Your recent upfront remarks regarding Indian involvement in Kashmir perhaps didn't go down well either with the Indian government but alas, are they not a claimed democracy with freedom of speech up there somewhere.
To make the refusal look kosher, they claim Kargil became an issue suddenly. Well, were they asleep all the times you were invited to India in the last few years. Have they suddenly woken up and out of their slumber. I really don't think so.
I personally believe India is uncomfortable with you in the current situation sir. A former army chief making a comeback through the political system knowing all the realities of India's intent towards us. Each time you have been to India and as the brave soldier that you are, faced their toughest questions and press anchors, you came back a star. How could they allow such a man, now heading a national political movement, to enter India again and again and win over more popularity amongst Indian audiences as they get a chance to see and hear you up close and personal.
Once, on a visit to india in 2000, I was asked by many Indians about you and how I as a Pakistani felt about " The General " as they were afraid of your straight forwardness and bold approach. One ofcourse delighted in the thought that you scared them as they have never been our friend. The answer I maintain to date was, I feel safer in the hands of "Our General" than a so called democratically elected feudal dictator.
I have always questioned India's interest or lack of it in us through observation in other areas as well such as, our creative arts and sports. You shall be shocked to learn how tightly they control their money and refuse to invest into anything Pakistani. The notion that Pakistani musicians and artists go to India and make good money is such a myth. I say this with great authority as I have spent the last few years investigating and putting enough media papers together to understand the math.
India has for several years taken the talent they don't have from us to work in their products that eventually make the Indian companies a lot of money but the artist comes home with nothing after paying heavy duty Indian taxes and bumped up overhead costs handed to them for any work done. Why does our talent cross the border. I am sorry to say, vanity. They go because they feel they have hit a big international market and their fees go sky rocketing in Pakistan as our corperate sector is sadly, extremely India affected. The fact that the spoken language is the same in both countries, Indian broadcasters under the national unity banner to date have never aired any of our Pakistani content within India as they would never like to open up their market to our producers and broadcasters via syndication rights even . The sports side was exposed when the IPL scandal broke ofcourse.
So sir, let's not bother with India as there is much work to be done elsewhere. A wise man once told me, the more relevant you become to society, the greater the challenges.
Pakistan First !
Atiqa Odho
Communications Advisor
PMF & APML
Dear President Musharraf,
Just a note to share how one feels regarding the Indian government denying you a visit visa. Frankly, didn't come as a shock to most of us as you have many a times gone there, faced them, eyeball to eyeball and won over both their public and their press each time. Your recent upfront remarks regarding Indian involvement in Kashmir perhaps didn't go down well either with the Indian government but alas, are they not a claimed democracy with freedom of speech up there somewhere.
To make the refusal look kosher, they claim Kargil became an issue suddenly. Well, were they asleep all the times you were invited to India in the last few years. Have they suddenly woken up and out of their slumber. I really don't think so.
I personally believe India is uncomfortable with you in the current situation sir. A former army chief making a comeback through the political system knowing all the realities of India's intent towards us. Each time you have been to India and as the brave soldier that you are, faced their toughest questions and press anchors, you came back a star. How could they allow such a man, now heading a national political movement, to enter India again and again and win over more popularity amongst Indian audiences as they get a chance to see and hear you up close and personal.
Once, on a visit to india in 2000, I was asked by many Indians about you and how I as a Pakistani felt about " The General " as they were afraid of your straight forwardness and bold approach. One ofcourse delighted in the thought that you scared them as they have never been our friend. The answer I maintain to date was, I feel safer in the hands of "Our General" than a so called democratically elected feudal dictator.
I have always questioned India's interest or lack of it in us through observation in other areas as well such as, our creative arts and sports. You shall be shocked to learn how tightly they control their money and refuse to invest into anything Pakistani. The notion that Pakistani musicians and artists go to India and make good money is such a myth. I say this with great authority as I have spent the last few years investigating and putting enough media papers together to understand the math.
India has for several years taken the talent they don't have from us to work in their products that eventually make the Indian companies a lot of money but the artist comes home with nothing after paying heavy duty Indian taxes and bumped up overhead costs handed to them for any work done. Why does our talent cross the border. I am sorry to say, vanity. They go because they feel they have hit a big international market and their fees go sky rocketing in Pakistan as our corperate sector is sadly, extremely India affected. The fact that the spoken language is the same in both countries, Indian broadcasters under the national unity banner to date have never aired any of our Pakistani content within India as they would never like to open up their market to our producers and broadcasters via syndication rights even . The sports side was exposed when the IPL scandal broke ofcourse.
So sir, let's not bother with India as there is much work to be done elsewhere. A wise man once told me, the more relevant you become to society, the greater the challenges.
Pakistan First !
Atiqa Odho
Communications Advisor
PMF & APML
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