ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — If any further
proof were needed that geopolitical intrigue can stalk the humblest of
Pakistan’s inhabitants, consider the recent cases of two Pakistani birds.
The first is a pigeon, a species
that people all over the country raise on their rooftops as a simple, inexpensive
pleasure and a brief escape from their daily struggles with poverty, corruption
and clogged streets below.
Some weeks ago, tensions were
running especially high between Pakistan and its perennial rival India. The
source was Kashmir, the disputed border region where Muslim protesters were
blinded by pellet guns and Indian soldiers were burned to death in a late-night
attack by insurgents.
Into the fog of belligerent
rhetoric between the nuclear powers wandered a white pigeon, which was
caught and caged by Indian security forces in a border district adjoining
Kashmir.
According to Indian news
agencies, the bird was suspected of having “Pakistani links” and was carrying a
warning message for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The arresting officer
posed with his feathered prisoner, and the image soon circulated on social
media.
