Cricket diplomacy is just one part of the collective effort that has seen a surge of activities to bring India and Pakistan closer.

Through the Friendship Series, cricket — and through it friendship — have captured the imagination of people on either side of the border.

Even before the start of the series and the hype that surrounded it, interaction between the people of India and Pakistan had already started.

What is different is the role of the media, which in the past whipped up a frenzy of hostility by concentrating on the negative by highlighting divisions and differences.

This time round their focus is more positive.

Also leaders, stars, businesspeople and the common man have all pitched in to sustain the momentum that began with the thaw of relations early in the year.

Before the “Jeet Lo Dil Series” really took off, Indian Bollywood star Urmila Matondkar took the lead by becoming an ambassador of peace.

She crossed the Wagah border and co-starred with Resham in a movie documentary entitled “Moving Closer”.

The movie explores the linguistic, cultural and historical links of the two nations.

Now along with the sporting links, cultural and other relations too are being firmed up.

Just on Monday, Pakistan welcomed another celebrity, Jagjit Singh, who visited Karachi and Lahore to play a role in the setting up of a Mehndi Hassan Trust to promote and help young Pakistani singers.

He revealed that the Trust had raised about 7.5 million rupees and a panel would decide who needs help.

Being feted by the Lahore bar was a Delhi High Court judge, who called for a relaxed visa policy between the nations.

These are the most high-profile efforts. Many others have just come to see a bit of the past — be it sightseeing or seeing their ancestral lands. It is the common man, however, who has hastened the process of rapprochement.

Everywhere in Lahore, people, when they find out that a visitor is in their midst, immediately don the cloak of hospitality.

The welcome is warm and the exchanges even warmer.

The inevitable question is, “If we can meet like this, why can’t we live in peace?” And most of the visitors are stumped for a reply.

Invariably both agree to lay the blame squarely in our past and the inaction of our leaders.

That both the people accept mistakes were made and some are still being committed is a heartening sign.

Both also agree that this process must continue. And to do this the exchange of sporting and cultural links should be sustained.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has played a small part in this direction.

Yesterday they extended their hospitality to the families of the Indian players.

The most delighted of the group must have been the parents of Irfan Pathan. They watched their son blaze with the bat just when India needed it most.

With the Indian selection committee already here, and five former Indian captains — Kapil Dev, G. R. Vishwanath, Ajit Wadekar, Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi and Chandu Borde — here or expected to make it to the Lahore tie the public relations exercise is continuing.

The extent to which the Pakistanis have gone out of their way to make it work can be gauged by one an incident during the Karachi ODI. About a handful of Indians and thousands of Pakistani fans spoke with a one voice throughout the game.

On this shared platform one Pakistani turned to his neighbor, also a Pakistani and asked “Are you from India,” to which he smilingly replied: “No, but I’ll enjoy your hospitability.”

Meanwhile, India and Pakistan went into an overdrive of the friendly spirit that is prevailing in the series by launching two campaigns yesterday.

One was an appeal to doctors in India to help save a girl’s life, while the other was a joint call to “Bowl Out Polio”.

The Indian cricket team yesterday appealed to cancer specialists in India to help save a 10-year-old girl’s life.

The girl is a resident of Lahore.

Huba Shahid has been diagnosed with Rabdomy Sacroma (cancer of the face).

Her father, Shahid Siddique Chhina, a local journalist, has been told that the recommended treatment was a Gamma Knife surgery available in India only in this region. He is keen that the treatment be done soon.

Indian team manager Ratnakar Shetty, told reporters that the team hoped that doctors in India would respond to the appeal and facilitate Huba’s treatment soon as time is of the essence.

Earlier, in the morning, Indian and Pakistani cricketers gave to polio eradication campaign a big boost by urging fans to “Bowl Out Polio” from both countries.

Team captains Rahul Dravid and Inzamam ul-Haq both joined children holding a “Bowl Out Polio” banner at the ground after the toss.

Both the captains asked parents in both the countries to ensure that their children received the polio drops during every immunization rounds in the two countries till this debilitating disease is eradicated from the region.

An immunization drive is currently on in India, while the next round of immunization begins on April 21 in Pakistan.