THE attention span of the international media is a very fickle commodity. There was a time before Sept 11 — before civil society was cajoled and coerced into applauding a gruesome game of murderous bushmen and suicidal cavemen — when everyone was allowed to have their own priorities in life.

Take June 22, 1997, for example, when in an amendment to the Crime and Disorder Bill, British MPs were languorously voting by 336 votes to 129 to set the age of consent for homosexual sex at 16, on a par with heterosexuals, even if luminaries like Tony Blair, William Hague and Paddy Ashdown were all absent.

They couldn’t be bothered too much that in the same month that year India was gearing up to elect a rightwing nationalist coalition that would go on to build atom bombs to thwart real or imaginary threats from Pakistan and China.

Take any year, 1993 for example. Everyone had their own agenda, quite oblivious of their overarching links with any alleged global village, terrorism or no terrorism. Who would remember Moin Qureshi today; that such a man briefly flickered on the scene in Islamabad in 1993 before making way for Benazir Bhutto’s second innings, for her to plot, as it turned out, her own eventual exit from Pakistan’s centre-stage; and Nawaz Sharif, who though ahead by a million votes that year prepared, by a quirk of democracy, to wait out a long, gruelling wait to power before losing it all too suddenly?

Going by the yardstick of the international media’s attention span, everything was quiet and hunky-dory that year, until in the United States the FBI grossly mishandled the warped religious fervour of the obscure branch Davidian sect after earlier failing to show similar zeal in preventing the original attack on the New York World Trade Center. These were the market-moving stories that year.

They happened in America and, again, no one really took any serious notice of the massacre of a million, yes a million Tutsis by their Hutu compatriots in Rwanda, until a Western news agency projected how the mass killings could adversely impacted on the country’s coffee crop. And it was this bit of news, not the massacres that actually rattled the NYSE index, but only briefly. After all, how much coffee could Rwanda produce or not produce to affect the NYSE beyond its usual attention span?

The locust-like movement of the international media is a sure sign that a market-moving story is happening somewhere in the vicinity. The last time they showed up in Peshawar in droves to “do the mooj” was also the occasion for the last major confrontation between the so-called free-market democracies and their communist detractors.

Now that they are there again in an almost suicidal frenzy, with quite a few journalists getting martyred in their line of duty, the question that needs to be asked is, what are they doing there all over again? After all, in spite of the brouhaha about showing one half of the anti-terror campaign on television, President George W. Bush seems to have got cold feet about the ringside view he plans to give American journalists in the conduct of the war.

And if, as Noam Chomsky says, the idea is to kill Osama bin Laden and Mulla Omar rather than to capture them alive, since no one would want to risk losing a court case for lack of hard evidence against the two gurus of obscurantist tripe, then it would be logical not to have Christiane Amanpour snooping around to see the gory, bitter end of the terror duo. On the other hand, if the two manage to escape into Pakistan, it would be equally disastrous to have prime time TV showing the American public relentless, frustrating forays by their special forces into empty and deserted Afghan caves.

There is, however, a small if crucial advantage for the hapless Afghans to have the international media present in their midst. At least the UN agencies are able to get a sympathetic hearing of Afghan refugees that has grown rapidly in the days following the Sept 11 attacks on the United States. Given the combination of American and British attacks on major cities in Afghanistan, the civil unrest of the past 20 years, and the ongoing though hitherto ignored drought, Afghan refugees are left with very little hope or security. That they have a Christiane Amanpour by sheer coincidence covering the horror of millions of men, women and children facing starvation must be a source of some reassurance to the Afghans — before the American focus shifts to some other “rogue state” or region and the TV locusts move on.

Before Sept 11 the countries of El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Nicaragua, all in the backyard of the United States, were experiencing severe food shortages. After the so- called global anti-terror campaign these countries are not expecting any relief from that plight, nor are they waiting for any journalist to give them any time.

In Chad, mothers spend dawn till dusk each day digging into ant-hills by hand in search of grains and seeds stored by the ants. Poor rains and locust-like insect attacks have decimated food supplies. Very few people in Colombia can remember a time when war and drug crimes weren’t a part of everyday life. For the past 40 years, Colombia has been ravaged by internal conflict, forcing thousands of innocent people from their homes.

To cite another story that may never move the markets, at least 17,000 Mongolians have been quarantined due to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. Some aid agencies are monitoring the quarantined families living in extreme poverty. Foot-and-mouth disease among cattle in Europe makes a market-moving story. Foot- and-mouth disease among fellow humans in the god-forsaken deserts of Mongolia must wait to get any attention at all, until perhaps Mongolia invents its own version of Osama bin Laden and Mulla Omar to get some attention from President Bush and his media troopers.

RIYADH: Expatriate Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia, like in other parts of the world, are keeping a close eye on the turn of events back home. They are monitoring the situation regularly with deep interest and curiosity. Everyone wants to decipher the signals in the air and understand what is taking place on the ground and how Pakistan could escape the adverse effects of the current scenario.

A number of people were also seen optimistic, advancing the theory that Pakistan has been able to steer itself out of the quagmire in a positive manner and should be able to get out of the entire imbroglio on a positive note. A number of Pakistanis living here are, however, also concerned about the fallout of the developing scenario for the country. It is an issue, which is divisive and at the same times an integral part of all discussions here.

The subject is almost the sole point of discussion in virtually all the Iftar parties that are being thrown these days, without an interruption almost. Some of the Pakistani restaurants, such as Marhaba and Lasani, are the hot spots for any such gathering to break the fast collectively during this blessed month. People all around the kingdom are utilizing these Iftar get-together opportunities to discuss the geo-political developments and learn of others’ views on the issue. Interesting discussions, arguments and counter-arguments are taking place at these get-togethers.

Various subjects are being discussed on these occasions. These include the question whether the government took the right decision to side with the coalition, the impact of the current scenario on Pakistan and Islam, its impact on the ongoing freedom struggle in Kashmir, the future role of Islamic parties and religious forces in Pakistan and elsewhere and the future course of action available to the government and the masses in Pakistan.

In some of these discussions non-Pakistanis, including some Saudis, Sudanis, Indian and American Muslims besides some other nationalities, were also observed participating enthusiastically. They all appeared eager to understand the viewpoint of others on the issue.

A very large number of people during these discussions, however, agree that the decision taken by the government to side with the coalition was correct. The government had very little option when it was called to decide on the day to either side with the coalition or face the might of it. A large number of people agreed that had the government not decided the way it finally did, the result could have been suicidal and disastrous for Pakistan.

However, a minority taking part in these deliberations, apparently because of their political affiliations back home did not seem to agree with the notion whole-heartedly. They are voicing their reservations about the long-term impact of the decision. This section of population, though a small one, is of the opinion that Pakistan should not have sided with the coalition forces and should have tried to steer a way out of it.

Last weekend, two senior Pakistani professionals living in Al- Khobar, on the east coast of Saudi Arabia, jointly organized a sort of informal discussion on the issue. A number of Pakistani from various schools of thought attended the post-traveeh seminar on the issue, which continued for almost three hours. The subject of discussion was the impact of the current situation on Pakistan and Islam.

During the seminar everyone seemed to agree that the decision of the government was in the best interest of Pakistan, however, no one could rule out the long-term impact of the decision on Pakistan and its body politic. Many people present at the seminar feared that the consequences of the Sept 11 tragedies were going to be difficult, to say the least, for the Muslims and Islam all around the globe.

An opinion was also expressed that Islamic movements throughout the globe need to rethink and remodel their overall working mode.

They should not appear to be holding a threatening and aggressive posture towards other religions and civilizations. These are difficult times, everyone agreed. The intelligentsia of the Muslim world needs to get up to limit the disastrous consequences of the Sept 11 attacks.

Some also questioned the speed with which the decisions were taken by the government. Had it not been more prudent for the government to take various schools of thought into confidence before the decision rather than after it, some here argued. Some also felt it is giving in too much to the American pressure when the FBI was permitted to set up an office at Karachi airport to monitor all those going out of Pakistan. “The government should show some spine. After all we are an independent state and not a colony of the United States,” a disturbed Pakistani engineer commented.

There was also an interesting discussion on the future role of Pakistan in the ongoing war against terror. To a large number of participants, the strategic importance of Pakistan had not receded, once Kabul was won over by the coalition forces. They agreed there is a convergence of interest between Pakistan and the United States, on a number of issues. Some felt the US would like to have a longer-term presence in the region to ensure that no such movement pops up in Afghanistan, once the coalition forces are gone, that would not take care of the global sensitivities.

Further, many felt that the oil game is also on and the US would like to have a presence in the region for some time to come so as to ensure maximum capitalization from the energy reserves of the Caspian belt. Hence, some argued that Pakistan would continue to enjoy strategic importance in the eyes of the world majors. Energy issues seem to be forcing many decisions of the coalition, people here agree without an iota of doubt.

Many in the seminar also felt that the killings in Qila-i-Jangi and the US bombing on the fort were intentional. The Americans wanted to get rid of the Afghan war veterans at any cost, once for all. “This is the Bush and Rumsfeld Texan-style war,” a participant sarcastically remarked.

The coalition did not want to let these Afghan Arabs to move now to other parts of the world and spread their ideology. Some hence strongly suggested it was all pre-planned and state-managed, who knows?

Internally also, some felt that Pakistan politics has taken a new turn. Religious parties and their supporters would be under increasing pressure, both in Pakistan and elsewhere, some argued. Some also felt that the role of intelligence agencies in Pakistan is also coming under greater review and some of their activities may be restrained now for some time to come at least.

Many also discuss the economic openings generated because of the global goodwill created for Pakistan. Some were also seen discussing how Pakistan could cope with the projected $2 or $2.5 billion shortfall in earnings.

Some bankers taking part in one of these discussions also anticipated increased flow of foreign exchange from this region through official banking channels, as the hawala system was increasingly being put under scrutiny throughout the globe for its alleged involvement in channelling money to “terrorist organizations”.

If it really happens, this could be an unanticipated boon to the economy back home. People say some $4 billion to $6 billion is transferred to Pakistan through the non-official hundi system.

There was also a genuine concern felt by many here about the ongoing struggle in Kashmir. It was pointed out at some of these discussions that during November alone the Indian forces have killed over 500 Kashmiris. Would India succeed in branding the ongoing movement in Kashmir a terrorist movement, everyone questioned? No one had a precise answer.

However, many felt the ongoing struggle in Kashmir may suffer because of the changed global scenario.

Some, however, also felt that in the changed environment there would be no other option for India, as well as for Pakistan, to come to a negotiated settlement of the 54-year-old issue. Already the coalition, to compel both the nuclear powers towards a peaceful settlement of the issue on a give-and-take basis, seems to be building up. The pronouncements of the Belgian prime minister that 2002 should be the year of resolution of the Kashmir issue was also interesting in many ways, some here said.