Subtle wind of change in Pakistan

It’s rightly said that you can ignore history at your own peril. It’s history which gives direction to future and strength to shape one’s destiny. Also, a nation faced with crisis in any form needs to look back into history to draw right lesson to march ahead. Incidentally, India and Pakistan are blessed with such historical richness, that they can find enough in common to strive for a shared destiny of peaceful coexistence.

Scores of people of Pakistan watching the parade of the border security forces on
their sides of the Wagah border amid chants of "Pakistan jhu le (live)"

It’s more than six decades now that the voice of sanity was silenced by an intolerant. Sadly, the world is becoming more intolerant each passing day. Hence, people across the world yearn to hear the voice of sanity embodied in Mahatma Gandhi more. Thus, Mahatma’s soothing voice which could heal wounds effortlessly still resonates across the world.

Besides, India and Pakistan are proud inheritors of Gandhi’s legacy. The Mahatma liberated the people living in India and Pakistan from various bondages during the course of his life. Besides, the Mahatma’s lessons for tolerance, inclusion and compassion for all are far more relevant for two nations now than earlier.

So, it was befitting for India and Pakistan to come together to commemorate Gandhi’s birth anniversary at the United Nations. More soothing was the fact that joint celebrations came just a day after India and Pakistan had sparred over Kashmir.

Further, Pakistan’s permanent representative at the United Nations Abdullah Hussain Haroon paid glowing tributes to Gandhi. He said Pakistan owes a debt of gratitude to a person who put himself even further at risk in ensuring that the right thing is done. "We must never forget that it is from one base that we have all risen. We can have minor differences," said Haroon.

Even foreigners can not resist the joy of Indian freedom at the Wagah border.

Importantly, the world leaders are invoking Gandhi’s words more frequently, as scores of nations struggle to cope with growing intolerance. The United States President Barrack Obama too quoted Gandhi, that intolerance is itself a form of violence and an obstacle to the growth of a true democratic spirit. Incidentally, Obama quoted Gandhi to condemn violence against America due to a film made by an amateur to poorly portray Islam.

In further indications that forces within Pakistan aspiring to preserve collective heritage are gaining ground, a roundabout in Lahore was renamed after the legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh. It’s laudable that the Pakistani authorities renamed the Shadman Chowk after the proud son of Lahore. Incidentally, it was at this spot where Bhagat Singh was hanged in March 1931 in the erstwhile Lahore Jail. The roundabout was built later on at this spot.

Besides, Lahore district administration chief Noorul Amin Mengal’s direction on renaming the roundabout was overwhelming for its underlying spirit. “All Pakistani citizens, including Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus and Christians, have equal rights under the Constitution and no one should object to the decision to rename the roundabout after Bhagat Singh,” said  Mengal. Thus, it’s abundantly clear that there are enough support for the rich historical legacy within Pakistan.

Also, another praiseworthy event took place in Karachi where the police slapped blasphemy charges against a group of Muslims for vandalizing a temple and attacking homes of Hindus during a protest against an anti-Islam film. Clearly, the first of its kind action would balm the wounds of religious minorities within Pakistan. Also, the move is more praiseworthy for the fact, that a number of Hindu families have fled to India in recent times fearing religious persecution.

Besides, the Karachi police registered a case against accused under section 295-A of the Pakistan Penal Code. The section covers deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs. Justifying the action, local police officer Jaffar Baloch stated that desecration of a temple meant blasphemy to him.

Surely, the official interventions in honouring Bhagat Singh and slapping blasphemy case against religious intolerants would reassure many that voices of reason are gaining strength in Pakistan. Importantly, over two dozen groups had campaigned for renaming of the Lahore roundabout after Bhagat Singh popularly known as Shahid-e-Azam. Also, it’s notworthy that there has been overwhelming support from civil society, including Pakistan’s Human Rights Commission, for slapping blasphemy case against accused who vandalized the temple.  

Furthermore, Gandhi laid more stress on nation building by opening hearts of the people. An inclusive society based on principles of tolerance and non-violence would surely take Pakistan to a better future. Pakistan does not need to look elsewhere for inspiration, as seeds for its better future lies in rich history spanning thousands of years. 

India's Pakistan woes

The US may worry for long as Pakistan hurtles down to a category of a failed state. But India has to worry much more, as the trouble is just next door. India and Pakistan have been cases apart in the last six decades. While India's nationhood has flourished despite numerous tests, course of events in Pakistan has clearly negated Muhammed Ali Jinnah's two nation theory.   

India as a nation has existed for thousands of years. Rulers came and went but the nation remained. But India's boundaries changed a number of times from the mighty emperor Ashoka to Mughal-e-Azam Akbar and later at the time of technologically superior British. 

In contrast, Pakistan as a nation came into existence on August 14, 1947. However, the everyday news of bloodletting in Pakistan and its constant existential crisis do raise a doubt, that Pakistan is still struggling to justify its being a nation. The founder of Pakistan Muhammed Ali Jinnah, one may say, forced the British and the Jawahar Lal Nehru to agree to carving out of a province from India on the basis of religion. Pakistan came into existence, after relentless riots in undivided India and the inability of the Congress to call the communal bluff of the Jinnah led Muslim League at that time.

More than six decades have gone by since the death of Jinnah and creation of Pakistan, but the existential question still remains. The Americans will have no qualms to say that Pakistan is the most dangerous place in the world. This is a nation, where the government of the day gives a call to protest against a film made by an "unspeakable idiot (as said by the Israelis)" American in which 24 people lost their lives. The protest was also joined by over a dozen hardline Islamic organisations, which are on the official restricted list of Pakistan, while being banned by a host of countries for perpetrating terror attacks across the world.

This is Wagah border from the Indian side just before the parade drills from the sides of India and Pakistan begin. While on the Indian side, the Mahatma Gandhi smiles on visitors, a stern looking Muhammed Ali Jinna adores the gate of the Pakistani side. Amritsar is some 29 km away from here, while Lahore is about 30 km away. This gate ironically divides two people speaking the same Punjabi language and sharing the same culture, including the dress and food habits. The local folklore says that the Pakistani army had entered some 30 km inside India from this place in the 1971 war following a bureaucratic delay on the parts of the Indian establishment to issue orders to repel the attack. However, the folklore is that, once the instructions came the Indian army along with the brave local Punjabis marched well into Lohore. In fact, the folklore goes on to say, that one villager near Amritsar still proudly displays a scooter that he had "looted" from within Pakistan.  

The Wagah border just before sunset when gates of India and Pakistan open during a majestic parade on both sides to bring down their respective national flags. The parade is clearly a lifetime experience to watch for, as elaborate drills on both sides instill confidence in the people, that the men in uniform would protect the territorial integrity of their respective countries. 

At Wagah border, the thought can not escape from the mind that India is so close to such a dangerous place in the world, which possesses nuclear bomb. A chill down the spine may slip through at such a thought. But this is a fact and India has to live with this reality, as there is no escaping this fact.       

Invariably, Indian leadership always wants to improve relations with Pakistan. So, there was no exception to this fact, when the BJP came to power, with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee trying his best to improve the relations only to be stunned with unabated terror attacks, including the one on the Parliament, which is the temple of World's largest democracy.

The Manmohan Singh led UPA government is more keen to deepen the ties with Pakistan. So, trade relations and liberal visa regime have been put in place apart from restoring the cricketing ties. But Pakistan continues to honour the rule of law in punishing those responsible for the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. While India pursues the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack as a legal case, with investigation to pin down the perpetrators with irrefutable evidences, it has still no answer on how to deal with the involvement of Pakistan as a state in such attacks.   

However, Pakistan has so far in the recent years avoided troubling India, as it is itself caught in the worst crisis in its history. While its northwest frontier is in the control of Taliban backed militia who have no shams to behead the Pakistani army personnel and displaying them for the world to look at, the fire (militants) which it mastered over the years to get strategic depth in neighbouring countries, including Afghanistan, has actually become the 'masters" of the destiny of Pakistan. Pakistan should know, that "Fire is a good servant but a bad master" and undo the historical error in religion based identity.