The common capital of India and Pakistan
-Illustration by Khuda Bux Abro.
It was not just the land that was partitioned. Hearts, minds, behaviours and emotions had been partitioned long before so the final division could be made ‘smoothly’, and it went as smoothly as expected. The ground was pulled from underneath someone’s feet, while the sky was pulled away from another’s head! Millions of people neither belonged here nor there, only those who were to lead the new states remained. The new leaders had not only been involved in dividing the state but also dreamt of ruling the new countries in the name of religion and nationalism. A single announcement managed to create a border that cannot be seen anywhere except in books, files and maps.
It was as if a wall was erected in the courtyard of a large, lively house. Those who lived and played together would sulk one moment and reconcile with each other the next. Their hearts beat together as one. If they liked a certain tune, they all sang it together. If they got drunk, they danced in harmony with each other. Their souls were fragrant with the scent of the soil; their breaths were perfumed with the same culture. But the formation of the wall of hate and treachery neither divided nor affected their breaths, their heartbeats.
It doesn’t matter whether the leaders belong to this side of the wall or to that side. They have always sowed seeds of hatred within the divided hearts of their nation in order to prevent the demolition of the wall erected within their hearts and minds so that not only their rule would be established but their sustenance is guaranteed, as well as their luxuries.
What does it matter if the people on this side or that of the wall live below the poverty line? Forget having healthcare and education, what does it matter if the people are deprived of basic needs like ‘roti, kapra aur makan’? Instead, not only did they build mountains of weapons but they also filled their own homes with the money they earned from the sale of weapons.
On one hand, both countries are atomic powers. On the other hand, they have no electricity, water, gas or petrol. We line up for CNG and other fuels; there is no electricity neither here nor there. We say it’s ‘loadshedding’ and they call it ‘katoti’. At night, their footpaths are full of sleeping, homeless people. A similar sight can be seen on our roads at night. We have katchi abadis and they have slums. Piles of rubbish litter our streets and theirs. There are armies of beggar children on both sides of the wall. But we still stand amongst the developed nations with our heads held high, saying that we are atomic powers. They stand in dhotis and we in old, torn shalwars.
-Illustration by Khuda Bux Abro.
The awam here and the janta there are stuck in the clutches of the same kind of leaders. We hear cries of “Corruption! Corruption!” from both sides of the border. They are ruled by the bureaucracy, businesspeople, politicians and the army. Similarly, we are ruled by the bureaucracy, politicians, waderas, businesspeople and the army. Everyone is related in one way or the other. The pundit rules there, while the mullah rules here. They both fear love as it were their mortal enemy. Each tells his people to follow the ‘true’ path. Each considers his path as the right one.
Everyone has their own path and destination. Your job is merely to follow in their footsteps, not think and question your leaders. Just close your eyes and follow them because it is their responsibility to take you to the destination. The revolution is on its way. We have kept walking on for the last 65 years, losing generations in the process but we still hear that the revolution is on its way.
When the talks of lessening the distances begin, steps are taken to increase the distances. Firing occurs, throats are slit or sometimes you’ll hear a blast. Then all measures announced to decrease the bilateral distances are either completely withdrawn or remain as mere announcements. The nationalist politicians in both countries begin to speak in a common jingoist language. The media in both countries lets go of all control, trying to gain higher ratings. If they could, they would bring the two armies to a confrontation or blow up both nations with a single bomb.
The public of both countries breathe, smile, laugh and cry together. Their grief and happiness are the same. Films, drama and songs are the same for both; while someone from Calcutta hums the tunes of Mehdi Hasan, someone else in Peshawar is a great fan of Jagjit Singh. Their hearts beat together. Their dreams are the same. But this wall between the two countries has been elongated and heightened instead of being shortened. Those who keep fortifying it don’t know that its height cannot prevent the winds, scents and the sounds of music and laughter from travelling across the border.
-Illustration by Khuda Bux Abro.
Poetry, literature, history, philosophy, theatre, dance and music are our common capital. How are you going to stop these? What methods will you use? The people think at an equal level and are not dependent upon you anymore. Whether it is instruments, voice, art or literature, the roads have opened for them.
The world is getting closer everyday and you are adamant on not saying hello to your neighbour.
Our children would like to benefit from each other’s developments. They wish to study and learn from each other’s teachers. The fearful atmosphere spread by our leaders has greatly harmed our previous generations. For goodness sake, let the new generations familiarise themselves with their culture, traditions, art and literature. The entire world is coming closer but we are being kept apart from each other every single day.
Why are we forbidden from knowing about ourselves? Why we are not allowed to look into the mirror? We are supposed to be each other’s reflection. Why are we being forced to look into opposing directions? Who has ever been saved by weapons? Only love can save us! Please cut the crop that you have been cultivating for the last 65 years. And just let us be.
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The author has dabbled in every form of the visual arts. An activist to the core, Abro’s work deals with social themes and issues ranging from human rights to dictatorial regimes. He is currently working for DAWN as an illustrator.
Good thinking…I too dream for a world without walls…
Dear Khuda Bux Abro
I appreciate your ideas. At least you tried at a basic level and might have converted one or two for secularism. I feel you understand that you can not compare apples with oranges but your ideas are towards conciliation and collaboration and that is the main thing.
The first claim for entire south-asia is supposed to be of primitve adivasis /tribal people who were native to India. As later on with the arrival of aryan culture & subsequent arrival of islam during medieval period, now its home to several beliefs & culture.
No matter how much hinduism try to influence the native population with casteism/aryan superiority & other bull-shit, but still at the same hinduism adopted the tribal Gods & gave them different names of sanskrit & added in to hindu pantheism, there by making a cosmopolitan culture called indian culture.
But Islam being the off-shoot of Abrahamic monotheism religious beliefs was altogether a different story, trying to overshadow anything existing outside its frame of world-view. Henceforth Sub-continent was divided all in the name of religion.
The astonishing thing is who knows about theology / God etc better than the tribals/bushmen ?
Is it there only one language does God/Gods/spirits/nature are aware of ? Is there no form/single form/all forms does this One God has ? Is it a single/multiple sense organs needed through which we can sense God ? Is the Gods/God/Spirits/Nature simply speaks in human voice but not appear in human form to Abrahamic prophets / hindu priests ?
Pakistanis have to come of out of this mindset being too narrow minded about theology & be open & pluralistic society to accept God/Gods/Spirits/Nature/No God school of thoughts. Who knows better than tribal bushmen who are forefathers of all of the present day modern humanity…
Pakistan and India are divided by barrier of religion – this is a barrier man can never overcome. Germanies were united, UK and Ireland are in great terms now and Koreas will join in future. India and Pakistan can’t. So stop living in a dream world. Our ancestors screwed us and I for one, don’t mind living in a poor and corrupt country rather living in a poor, corrupt and fundamentalist religious country. India is in a transition phase right now – just like Europe was in renaissance- you can see by gamut of conflicts in ideas, protests and social changes. We are late by many centuries but at least we are changing. But this ensures, hopefully, my kids and their kids will have a much better and peaceful life than me. Much better than the kind you are preparing for your kids. Good Luck (and I mean it!)
@ nazar Ahmed. Indian will be more than happy for all 200 million to travel back to Pakistan. Thank you.
But a fact, except few Pakistan trained twisted minds, most of them would still prefer to live in india. Your so called unmah is nothing but a bigot, back word, factory of terror.
I appreciate Abro shab’s wishes but we must have a reality check. We are in times when India is almost hijacked by Saffron terrorists. They are not just ruling Gujarat, they are eying to oust Congress Govt. from center too. This congress is also the same who prides itself on dividing east and west Pakistan. So while our writers are shaping public mode to be friendly with India, opposite is going on in India since last 10 years when India has enjoyed more economic gains then Pak and when Pak is the place where war on terror is going on over a decade. We must educate common Pakistanis on this and bring shame to India for 70,000 murders in Kashmir, continue occupation of poor Kashmiries and other terrorist acts as finally accepted by Indian ministers, in international community.
Pak must also destroy all terror groups which are being used by external players like Saudia for sectarian killings and who are also available on rent for other agencies. Only armed group should be the army and no one else.
Khuda Bux Saab,
Very good article and thoughts. i appreciate it.
Personally i feel that it may take 2 Generations to solve Ind-Pak problems.
We dont need War or controversies to get it done. We just need Akal.
We need more people like you.
Keep up the good work!
GS from Germany
Mr Abro I don’t know what your age is but if you are anything under 65 than I am surprised to see such kind of article from you. I, being a 30 odd year old Pakistani can tell you one thing with utmost certainty that I love my country to bits. I have respect for India and Indians but it offend me to see articles like yours getting space in a highly respected Pakistani newspaper like Dawn just because you seems to be in pain over something which happened more than 65 years ago.
we have to accept ground realities. we have a long standing existential dispute with India for the past 65 years which has been accepted by the world in the shape of UN resolutions. we have already suffered a killing blow in the shape of military aggression from the said country in 1971 and make no mistake they will repeat the same whenever they get an opportunity. as a result being a small country we had to acquire weapons and military strength which was way beyond our means to defend ourselves against this big aggressive neighbor and as a result generations of Pakistanis suffered economically. I am from that generation of Pakistanis who remember these hard facts. I am for peace and all this Aman ki asha thing but it seems guys like you take it to the next level.
There appears to be several commenters here who are rewriting history.
1. India before 1947 was never a single, contiguous country. It consisted of hundreds of states.
2. What is popularly known as “Partition” was actually the creation of three nations in that area.
3. Pakistan was imposed on Jinnah and the term “Pakistan” was used metaphorically until it became obvious that the Brits, Patel and Nehru were bent on a physical Pakistan.
Good article. I would like to say that people of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh irrespective of their religious belief have one one unique culture. The Muslims of Pakistan or Bangladesh are different from the other Arab Muslims where they will never be accepted as equals. I wish I can see these countries unite during my life time.
Good article – I think most of the people who commented here (including a good number of Indian readers of Dawn which is a positive sign) are missing the point! We just need to be good neighbours who share common culture like for instance USA and Canada. No need to bring down borders. I don’t think I would like to be called an Indian because I was born in a new country and am proud to be a Pakistani. Currently I’m in New York and have travelled to Europe and globally, but never been to India which is sad. Might not get visa even if I want to! That has to change. We need to trade with each other and make things easier for people to travel and do business.
Besides some incident like a Mumabi attack or firing across the border stops the process of dialogue and generates hate. Do we wonder who gains from that – Military or terrorists or whoever? We need to stop investing in defence and feed our people first before anything else. A peaceful and loving atmosphere across both borders would be a good step towards that goal!
Indians and Pakistanis are different period. Now I see the great sense of Jinnah. He is a great visionary who did a great favour to India by getting rid of Pakistan. Thank God I cannot even think of undivided India, where foreign dornes would be attacking India on a daily basis and there would be a great civil war in the country killing thousands of people daily. Forget about foreign direct investments, developement, progress and peace.
Weldone Mr Khuda Bux Abro.Hat Off To U
Stop equating Pakistan == India. Pakistan is far more progressive, superior and culturally different than India. India has 5000 year old caste system that it refuses to let go, 75% of the people live on less than $1 a day, it has no roads and no water. These facts have been published by esteemed Indian journalists themselves like Arundathi Roy, KP Nayyar etc..
Yes, Pakistan has some problems with governance, but we dont have the same level or poverty or unequal society like India does. Besides, like Quaid said, we draw our inspirations from difference sources, our culture and heritage is from central asia and arab, India’s core heritage is native and has not evolved.
So such simplification of equating 2 nations is wrong, and hurts the sentiments of us Pakistanis.
i like the spirit of peace and love in the article. Truth is not so poetic. Pakistan was born out of hatred of then Muslims towards Hindus. This hate based on religion has not gone away. Kashmir and terrorism is the current symbols of Muslims hate towards Hindus. Until Muslims will treat Hindus with Love and live in Harmony, this friendship will remain dream.