The make or break OIC summit

THE unprecedented challenges facing the Islamic world have cruelly spotlighted the glaring inability of the OIC to make any worthwhile contribution to safeguard the legitimate interests of the Islamic community of nations, which has recently experienced the occupation of two OIC states, with the independence of others under serious threat.

This piece written on the eve of the OIC Summit in Malaysia is intended to focus not on the long-term perspective (which will be dealt with separately), but on the options for the Islamic community of nations in the immediate or the short-term context in facing up to grave threats in the wake of September 11. This is not a counsel for confrontation but an examination of the ability (or inability as claimed by many) of the Islamic world to defend its just causes and its legitimate interests by adopting a unified stand in times of grave crisis as at present.

Accounting for nearly one-fourth of the world’s population, the Islamic global community comprises 57 states, located at strategic points around the globe with a reservoir of strategic natural resources. In spite of the general military and economic weakness of the Islamic world, there are a number of pivotal OIC states which are well placed to play a crucial role important regions.

Standing geographically at the cross-roads of Asia, Africa, and Europe and politically at the heart of the Arab world, an Egyptian role is indispensable for the Middle East peace process. Turkey, a Nato member, is well positioned to play a key role in Central Asia and the Middle East, both regions of important Western interests. While the economic and strategic relevance of the GCC states is self evident, Iran is a major player in its own right in the Gulf, the Caspian and Central Asia. Pakistan is important for its strategic location, its large population, its nuclear capability, and its traditionally moderating role in the Islamic world. If the political will is there, Indonesia even with its present turmoil, is in a position to exert its leverage with natural resources second only to the US and Russia and with a population touching the 200 million mark.

The political and diplomatic weight of the OIC states referred to above has been largely neutralized, however, by the perceived divergence of interests between regimes in the Islamic world which has made them dependent for their economic or security sustenance on the West. While constraints of space do not permit elaboration, a few pointers are being given here. For Turkey, apart from its economic problems, the determining factors in its relations with the West include the issue of Cyprus, the country’s quest for EU membership, its Nato links and its long-standing Kurdish problem.

As for Egypt, it broke ranks with the Arab world through its separate peace with Israel, largely because of the economic dividends forthcoming from the US and because of a basic Egyptian decision to give priority to Egypt’s state interests over Egypt’s leadership role in the Arab world and over the struggle of the Palestinians.

In spite of all their vast oil wealth and petro-dollars, the military vulnerability of the GCC states and the absence of any grass roots political support has made them vitally dependent on the West, as borne out, inter-alia, by the Western role in ending the occupation of Kuwait. The way Qatar and Kuwait have acted as the base for US operations against Iraq and the facilities provided by Bahrain and other Gulf states are a vivid testimony to the conflicting interests of the Gulf regimes in the face of the US invasion of Iraq.

Pakistan’s options have been curtailed by its dependence on the West for economic sustenance and military hardware compounded by the perennial security threat from India. In the ongoing Western threats and ultimatums to Iran, over its alleged nuclear programme, no regional or extra-regional Islamic state has made any known move in support of Iran’s position for fear of incurring US displeasure.

The dependence individually of OIC states on outside powers and their perceived inter-se divergence of interests could be minimized by bringing into play their combined political and economic leverage, referred to above, in situations posing grave, unwarranted threats to OIC member-states.

If the coming OIC summit in Malaysia were to adopt and implement a credible policy declaration affirming their determination to oppose by political, diplomatic and economic means any unilateral, pre-emptive threat against an OIC member-state by the US or any other power, not covered by a UN mandate and to pledge mutual help in the short-term in political, diplomatic and economic fields to enable the OIC states to maintain their opposition to the threatened or actual aggression, the aggressor concerned may have to seriously reconsider its policy of unrestrained aggrandizement.

Failure to adopt and implement such a declaration would imply complete abdication of the role for which the OIC had come into being.

Pakistan should be able to dominate ODIs

Of course, I could be deadly wrong but going by the first two ODIs, I don’t think South Africa has the support-bowling to keep the Pakistan middle order in check much less stop it from going on a rampage. There is no quality spinner and there is a non-threatening muchness about the medium-pacers and the tracks are as bare of grass as Boeta Dippenaar’s head is bare of hair.

By contrast, the Pakistan bowling has variety and, of course, in Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami two genuine fast bowlers of aweful pace but who also happen to be accurate like the ‘smart’ bombs that the Americans have in their arsenal.

Unless Pakistan has a mood-swing, something that cannot be wholly ruled out, it should be able to dominate the ODI series. The Test matches will be a different story.

On the evidence of the two matches, I get the feeling that South Africa is playing in a negative frame of mind and the oppressive weather conditions is playing tricks with the concentration of its players. There is both the humidity and dew factor and there are flying insects but it cannot rightly be said that it only affects the South Africans.

The Pakistan players are not men of steel and they have no built-in air conditioning system in them and surely will get dehydrated and the flying insects are not sparing of them. I am not a fan of flood-lit cricket. It may make for a grand tamasha but it alters playing conditions and day-night cricket in Lahore, and possibly, Rawalpindi, at this time of the year is a tricky business and introduces an element of a lottery in a game that already has too many imponderables.

But cricketers are professionals and we are reminded of this by them when it comes to fixing their fees and other perks. A career-person has to adapt to working conditions.

There have been some quite brilliant performances by some Pakistan players, by Inzamam-ul-Haq, Yousuf Youhana, Shoaib Malik, Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami. But after a long time, Pakistan has looked like a team and there is a committment and a will-to-win that is evident.

In the second ODI, the fielding was outstanding and it was the two run-outs executed by a dead-eye Mohammad Sami turned the game on its head. Jonty Rhodes would have been proud to own this fielding. As if, still under this spell of magic, Sami bowled Andrew Hall with a swinging yorker that, without any flannery, was an unplayable ball, straight as any arrow shot by Robin Hood and at great speed.

Shoaib Malik ‘s innings in the first ODI was as good as one is ever likely to see. It was an innings played by a batsman, not a slogger. The sixes he hit were not wild shots. They were authentic cricket shots. The ball was there in the right slot and he got down on one knee and got under it and wham! His timing was impeccable and he got a lot of bottom-hand and to his timing, he added power.

Contrast this with the six that Inzamam hit, a flat six that left the fielder immobile, the simple artistry of wrist-work and an eagle-eye.

Youhana has run into some real form and one feels that he is now easy in his skin and he oozes confidence and each innings seems to be a continuation of a previous one. He comes into bat as if he is already set.

Shoaib Akhtar is relishing the role of Pakistan’s main strike bowler and he has accepted the responsibility. He has always been a ferociously fast bowler but he has also become a thinking bowler. He does not rely on intimidation alone. He is using the slower ball with deadly effect. His body-language is positive and he does not clown about too much though he still is a showman.

Inzamam is proving to be a good captain and it always help if one is leading from the front for he is now batting as well as he has ever and the team has rallied behind him. He is still a man of few words but every leader has his own style and authority is not always wielded by carrying a big stick.

Pakistan has won the Emerging Team Trophy played in Sri Lanka and Junaid Zia was not only the Man-of-the-Match in the final but Man-of-the Series. His inclusion in some of the ODI’s against Bangladesh raised eye-brows and it was perceived as an act of nepotism. It is not easy to be the son of the chairman of the PCB. Nor is it a disqualification. But we are a cynical people.

It goes to the immense credit of the young man that he handled the barbs with great dignity nor did it demoralise him. It showed that he had character and was mentally tough.

The best answer to one’s critics is performance and Junaid delivered in Sri Lanka. I am delighted for him. He is still a young man and still has far to go. He is still serving his apprentice years but if he keeps working hard and keeps that fire in his belly burning, there is no reason why he can’t go places.

But, as with all other players, cricket is an unforgiving game. In the end, what counts is either making runs or taking wickets.

Pakistan seems to have a fast bowlers factory and they keep coming off an assembly line and the competition is tough. All aspiring young fast bowlers must understand that the road they have chosen to travel by has a lot of traffic on it. It requires stamina and gumption to stay the course and, naturally, patience.