Thank goodness, it is all over
Thank God Shoaib Malik and Sania Mirza affair is now headed for a happy ending after weeks of blazing controversy.
I am no great admirer of Malik except the fact that according to my thinking, he was too hastily removed from Pakistan captaincy at a time when he was maturing into a good skipper. This one decision by PCB chief Ijaz Butt triggered a chain of events that has brought bad name and disrepute to Pakistan cricket. But I am greatly dismayed at the way Pakistani media has treated Malik’s planned marriage with Sania, the Indian tennis celebrity. Granted that since both are famous and rich, it was news for the media but beyond that it was going too far. We are a Muslim country and should personal lives of individuals be spotlighted with such freedom! Perhaps the most unfortunate aspect of this sordid affair has been over zealous willingness of Pakistani TV channels to bite the bait hung for them by the Indian media which was no doubt also encouraged and sponsored by official Indian authorities because it was not only a God-given opportunity to defame a well known Pakistani but also to settle scores with Sania, a Muslim girl who had emerged as an icon internationally and had outbid the famous Tendulkar in brand monopolies. She had to be brought down to earth and if possible, ruin her tennis career and her multi million commercial potential.

Let us have an unbiased look at the ground realities before sitting on judgment. Malik and Sania announce their resolve to marry. Sania breaks off her official engagement, with her cousin, which had been officially solemnized with the consent of the two families. The first person to condemn this proposed marriage is our good old friend Mr Bal Thackeray, the self styled guardian angel of Hindu ideology and religion. As if this was a signal, all hell breaks loose. Immediately, the family of Ayesha Siddiqui who had been thus far completely oblivious of Malik’s whereabouts and his personal life, wake up and start levelling accusations against Malik, going to the extent of saying that Malik is a ‘ZANI’ and should be stoned to death.’

They also seek Indian police help to harass and malign Malik. Ayesh’s family members are so ‘shameless’ that they publicly announce that they had an abortion of Ayesha, carried out during her so-called relationship with Malik! Will any Muslim family with a bit of respect admit such a thing in public? Did you notice the language used by Ayesha’s father in his press conferences? Do gentlemen stoop down to this level? In any case if the family thought that Ayesha’s marriage with Malik was real, why did they have to carry out the abortion especially if the whole thing was so legal and formal as they claim! Secondly, was the consent of ‘legal’ husband Malik obtained for this abortion and if not why? Who was financing the vilification campaign of the Siddiqi family and why the ‘aggrieved wife’ did not come before the media?

I know of far more serious moral infringements of famous Hindu sports personalities without such hue and cry as has been so promptly displayed in this particular case including the case of a former Indian cricket captain who made the daughter of a famous industrialist pregnant despite being married and with children. How did the Indian media treat the well-known affairs and sexual binges of a male Indian tennis star? They were all given a passing mention and very brief spotlight. Muslim sportsmen in India are never treated at par with their Indian counterparts. One has just to look at the careers of Mohammed Kaif, Irfan Pathan and now Yousaf Pathan to see this reality. Zaheer Khan is still there because he is indispensable for the Indian team. Everybody knows that Muslim sportsmen in India have to be ten times better than their Indian counterparts to make the grade. The Indian political elite should have sprung to Sania’s defense but exactly the opposite is happening. Even mainstream political parties like BJP have sprung into action adopting an anti-Malik stance. Pakistan Cricket Board could have come to Malik’s rescue but to expect anything sane from Mr Ijaz who is also a ‘Sialkoti Munda’ is just being naive. Mercifully, foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi finally came to Malik’s help followed by a belated response from Firdous Ashiq Awan, the public representative from Sialkot. Once it had become known that Indian police and other quarters were getting involved, they should have been the first ones to react. Malik has not committed a crime which has been proved so why should the Indian police have confiscated his passport or mobile phone? Is this not a typical case of declared guilty without trial! Whatever the news value of this entire episode, fairness and justice should have been the key elements in this saga!

(Zakir Hussain Syed is Pakistan’s internationally renowned sports administrator, sports broadcaster and sports analyst)