The Triumph of Prejudice
With polls closing in India on June 1 and results expected on June 4, there has been much speculation about who will form the next government. The general consensus is that the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party and current Prime Minister Narendra Modi have the advantage. Pakistani media has been debating the stakes, some of the salient issues, and what a third term for Modi would mean for India.
The Express Tribune (May 23), noted a particular “lack of enthusiasm” among voters who were once loyal to the BJP, which he said was “a sign that people are turning to him.” [PM Modi] Speaking of the impact of failing to address pressing issues, the report said: “Despite gaslighting efforts to make voters see Modi as a miracle worker, data shows that economic growth has consistently been weaker under Modi’s government than analysts had predicted.”
Daily Times (May 23) believes a third term for Modi would mean “the real winners in a so-called secular state are bigots… Indian voters will cry out that they prefer a vigilante identity to the ideals of a modern India.”
But an editorial speaking for those voting against the party warned that “voter suppression, manipulation and violence The theme remains nauseating, as brazen attempts to silence the opposition by labelling them as “traitors” have become the new normal.”
Punjab’s Orwellian Laws
Earlier this week, the Punjab Assembly passed the Defamation Bill, 2024, amid protests from both journalists and opposition parties. According to Dawn, “the bill proposes setting up special courts to try those involved in drafting, publishing and broadcasting ‘fake news.'”
This is called “Orwell’s Law” News International (May 23) stated, “This bill will only empower those in constitutional positions, risking that media channels and even personal social media accounts will be shut down by the government without giving opponents a chance to prove their innocence.” NI’s view of the bill can be summed up in the 1984 quote with which the editorial concluded: “Eventually we will make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because we will have no words to express it.”
dawn (May 22) highlighted the “rammed-through” of the bill, saying, “The journalist community had only asked the Punjab government for a week to reconsider the law… Meanwhile, the Opposition parties had suggested several changes… [Punjab government] Choosing to push it aside demonstrates a lack of willingness to respect the democratic principles of the legislative process.”
The editorial demanded the Punjab government to “withdraw this dangerous bill and consult with other stakeholders. There is still time.”
ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu: justice will be served
On Monday, May 20, UN International Court of Justice (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan issued arrest warrants for Hamas leaders for the October 7, 2023 attacks, and for Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Galant for the subsequent genocide in Palestine. The five are charged with crimes against humanity and war crimes. Prime Minister Netanyahu called the arrest demands “absurd” and claimed Khan was one of the “great anti-Semites of our time.”
Daily Times (May 22) “Justice has been served.” Nation (May 22) Commenting on the U.S. response to the warrant, he said, “Politicians and leaders who support genocide can express their outrage as much as they want. … Now the time has come for them to be held accountable, but the U.S. is only expressing indignation. This is essentially saying they are not adhering to any international law or treaties.”
Rising electricity prices
The National Electricity Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (NEPRA) has proposed charging customers an extra Rs 1.45 per unit of electricity for the next three months to recover Rs 52 billion of the Rs 1.3 trillion that remains outstanding from defaulters, sparking resentment among citizens at having to bear the costs of someone else’s negligence.
dawn (May 19) condemned the proposal, saying, “The authorities often run flamboyant campaigns about the government’s ‘zero tolerance policy’ against power theft. Why should the public suffer when they cannot put words into action?” The paper slammed the government, arguing, “The public can no longer tolerate government incompetence. Defaulters must be made to pay the price. There is no way around this.”
The Nation (May 19) believes that “top-down reforms with a strong emphasis on accountability are crucial…NEPRA’s current strategy is not only harmful to consumers but also counterproductive to its objectives.”
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