The Jang Group was going to play host February 16-17 in Karachi to a massive gathering of business and industry leaders from Pakistan and India. The event was to have seen the likes of the Tatas, Birlas and Ambanis or their representatives from the Indian side and the Manshas, Saigols, Hashwanis et al from the Pakistani side. Almost all the top companies from both sides were represented and people like former Pakistan State Bank Governor Ishrat Hussain and Indian filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt were to have addressed the august gathering. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was scheduled to be the chief guest, the idea being that sitting down and sharing biryani and pulao would help break some ice and promote greater collaboration between the business sectors of the two countries. But it was not meant to be.
Fears about security and, possibly, nervousness from the Indian side after the carnage in Karachi on the 5th of February, have, sources claim, put paid to the plan for now. The meet has been postponed till further notice. No word on what the next step will be. Shireen Mazari must be ecstatic.
Can Pakistan and India ever move forward on anything without something or the other screwing it up?
It's not just Shireen Mazari. Don't Zaid Hamid and Ahmad Quraishi often do a show on AAG? I think it's called Iqbal ka Pakistan. Isn't AAG owned by the Jang Group?
ReplyDeleteI don't get it. How can they reconcile this 'Aman ki Asha' charade with the incendiary views of one of thier leading talk show hosts, who I may add, most recently said that "one day, we will hear radio pakistan from new delhi!"
Cognitive dissonance, perhaps? Or just hypocrisy?
To answer your question, the 1996 World Cup. Only Sri Lanka screwed that one up. And Waqar's two overs to Jadeja. Though that's probably a different question.
ReplyDeleteIt happens to be bad news. Tatas, Birlas and Ambanis are big names of India and then arrival to Pakistan would have surely beneficial for the economy of this country. We wish that program is postponed to the near dates and not cancelled
ReplyDeleteWhat aman ki asha? What a farce. Typical Jung group behaviour. Jahan se paisa aey banao. nangay hojao lekin bus paisay mil jaein inhain kahin se. Jung group has no shame.
ReplyDelete@sadia: Ok the Jang Group is greedy and has no shame. But what does that have to do with the postponement of the Aman ki Asha business conference? Was the Jang Group greedy and shameless because they wanted to host the conference or because they postponed it?
ReplyDeleteif the Indians refused to come, what could Jung do? They obviously can't afford to piss the paymasters off now can they?
ReplyDelete@sadia: I am a bit stupid but I still don't get it. Who are the paymasters? The ISI? RAW? the CIA? Mossad? Zaid Hamid? The Taliban? the MQM? Pepsi Cola? Atiqa Odho? Aamir Liaquat? Asma Jahangir? Aafia Siddiqui? Rehman Dakait? A friend of Mir Shakil? A combination of all of these?
ReplyDeleteJang is trying to normalize the relationship. In my sincere opinion, some forces depending on sour relationship between the two countries don’t want any activity which results in any good for the common man. I have nothing do with Jang Group but at least some of its efforts have proved to be for common man. Is the working for the betterment of common man a crime? If yes then Jang is the culprit. Pls stop conspiracy theories and let the people to bring some change.
ReplyDeletewell *actually* if jang wanted to help make peace it would take a few of its people off the air... :P
ReplyDeleteQisa: It's funny you bring up conspiracy theories. Because the leading exponents of conspiracy theories, particuarly relating to Pakistan-India, are all presenting shows on the Jang group's channels. The day they take off Ahmad Quraishi and Zaid Hamid from their channels is the day I start believing that they are serious at promoting Aman ki Asha.
ReplyDeleteFrankly speaking, I'm surprised that no one from the Indian side (TOI) has called them out on this.