Prominent voices in Pakistan have realized that diplomatic engagement between India and Pakistan is a Pakistani pipedream. The multilateral Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit to be held in Islamabad in October holds promise but Pakistanis know Prime Minister Narendra Modi is unbending. The setback to Modi in Lok Sabha elections 2024 hasn’t helped. Modi would rather strengthen his ties with Russia and the United States than get in the India-Pakistan quagmire.

Will Modi participate in the Islamabad SCO meet? The seven-member regional grouping has heard Modi speaking against “war” in a previous SCO meeting but Pakistan has off late been lamenting about Modi’s “jingoism” and how this doesn’t help thaw the soured ties between the two countries. The SCO meeting is, therefore, not seen as an opportunity for “bilateral re-engagement”.

The disappointment in Pakistan is palpable and Pakistani diplomats are now talking of how “sports” could help pave the way for diplomatic talks. Sports helped in the past but Prime Minister Narendra Modi depends on “no talks with Pakistan” to shore up his popularity at home. The “Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party” had always benefited from keeping Pakistan cornered and cowering.

Modi’s “Ghar Mei Ghus Ke Maarenge” draws its message from belittling Pakistan and Pakistan hasn’t found an antidote — not in the 10 years since Modi hit Delhi in 2014 with the then Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif witnessing the transition, which he didn’t know at the time was the beginning of the end of any meaningful India-Pakistan diplomatic engagement. Prime Minister Modi’s second term was due largely to Pakistani villainy and “Ghar Mei Ghus Ke Maarenge” was on every Indian child’s lips.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi won a clear-cut majority in 2019, 303 Lok Sabha seats out of 543. Nothing of the sort happened in the just-concluded 2024 general elections. There wasn’t a ‘Pulwama’ and there wasn’t a ‘Balakote’. Modi’s “no talks with terror” continued to cripple any chances of India coming to the table. BJP supporters marvelled.

Now, left with no hope, Pakistan is looking at cricket to break the ice, melt Modi’s hard heart. Pakistan will be hosting the ICC Champions Trophy between February and March, 2025 and maybe bat and ball will bring an Indian delegation of diplomats to the India-Pakistan matches. BCCI secretary Jay Shah might have a taste for biryani diplomacy!

But chances are the Indian cricket team will not travel to Pakistan. The “strained relations” is like an LBW, and Pakistan’s every effort is a “no-ball” so far. India will be asking the ICC to hold “all India matches” in Dubai or Sri Lanka. The Pakistan team wouldn’t mind playing in Dubai, for their “wives”. Life is so much more glitzy in Dubai. For that matter, even the “touristy” Sri Lanka with its beaches and palm trees.

What dims Pakistani hearts is Prime Minister Narendra Modi dashing ordinary Pakistanis’ hope of seeing Pakistan clobbering India with a stadium full of Pakistanis watching India brought to its knees. In September 2023, the Indian team hadn’t come to Pakistan for the Asia Cup. Narendra Modi just doesn’t seem to understand defeating India on Pakistani soil is every Pakistan’s dream come true –Virat Kohli losing to Babar Azam.

There is no need to win a war; just Pakistan clobbering India on their side of the Wagah will do! For that Modi and the Indian cricket board should have a big heart. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the one man who stands in the way of normalizing India-Pakistan ties. He did away with Article 370 and keeps talking of “Ghar Mei Ghus Ke Maarenge”.

Pakistan says Modi’s “jingoism” has made Modi a pygmy in the eyes of Pakistanis. This after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sent a congratulatory message to Modi on his re-election and Modi sent back a terse reply, dressed in language that will break a chirping sparrow’s heart. There are no doves allowed in India-Pakistan ties.

Like one Pakistani diplomat wrote, “the reply was wrapped in security language expressing Modi’s commitment to the security and safety of Indian citizens.” It hurt the Pakistanis that Maldives President and the Bangladesh Prime Minister were invited to Modi’s swearing-in but not the Pakistani Prime Minister.

After all, Shehbaz Sharif is Nawaz Sharif’s brother and Modi and Nawaz were buddies! What really pissed off Pakistan was Modi lambasting Pakistan on “Kargil Divas”, calling Pakistan “masters of terror” and stating in no uncertain terms that “Pakistan has not learned anything from its history.” India’s EAM Minister S. Jaishankar is no less a beast! Jaishankar will not set foot on Pakistani soil, not until Modi asks him to, which is not going to happen anytime soon.

(With Inputs From Agencies)