‘Mischievous’ ad in Pakistan daily 'The News' raises Samjhauta blast stink

Not happy with the probe into the 2007 Samjhauta Express blast, a quarter- page advert appeared in a leading Pakistan daily on Monday demanding an answer from India as to the status of the investigation. The blast in 2007 killed 68 people, mostly Pakistanis, and the advert in Pakistan’s second-most selling English daily, The News , questions India’s role in bringing the perpetrators to justice.

The advert, issued in the name of previously unknown Samjhauta Affectees Action Committee ( SAAC), carries the image of a burning train, a gun- toting Indian soldier looking with disdain at two women and a child — all in distress — and the Indian flag.

“ Justice denied anywhere diminishes justice everywhere,” is written on the top of the advert. This is followed by Samjhauta Express Massacre, written in green and in bold letters. The lower half of the ad reads “ when 68 passengers of the Lahorebound Samjhauta Express were torched and burnt into ashes on the Indian soil” before ending with a demand that “ secular India owes an explanation to the world”, again in bold letters.

The irony is that this unambiguously anti- India advert appears at an awkward moment for the newspaper.

It is published right below a news report about a seminar — titled Reengagement for Peace — that starts on Tuesday and brings together Pakistani and Indian officials, diplomats, politicians and intellectuals in Karachi under a pro- peace programme.

While this is a clear case of clashing editorial and advertising interests, sources in the media industry say the ad also leaves many questions unanswered.

“ First, it is hard to believe that there exists a committee of those affected by the train blast. At least I have not heard about it before. Secondly, if it does, it cannot afford to place a quarter- page ad on the front page of a major newspaper because almost all those hit by the incident come from lower- middle class and working class families,” a senior editor said.

An analyst based in Lahore said the ad could be meant either to distract the Pakistani people or as a means to perpetuate anti- India feelings among the public.

“ Officially, Pakistan is already reported to have conveyed its point of view about the Samjhauta incident to the Indian authorities. Rehman Malik ( interior minister) has already asked New Delhi to share the details of the investigations with Islamabad and bring the culprits to justice. So what do you need this ad for?” the analyst asked.

“ It is either part of the official anti- India propaganda or someone somewhere wants the people to get talking about the Samjhauta Express instead of the problems we are facing within the country,” he said.