The Differences Between Pakistanis and Indians

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Abstract: Generally speaking, Pakistanis and Indians, Pakistan and India are different in: genetics, overall genetic composition, religion, culture, rituals, linguistics, diet, ethnicity, governance, pre-history, civilization, race, complexion, geography, topography, philosophy, script, cuisine, music, entertainment, perception, soico-politics and economies.

CIVILIZATION
South Asia is made up of many regions, cultures, languages, nations and civilizations.  Since rivers can sustain clusters of large populations, early man formed the first civilizations around rivers.  Examples include: Huang He (Yangtze River), Mesapotamia (Euphrates/Tigris) , Egypt (River Nile) and IVC (Indus River).  Modern Pakistanis take immense pride in the fact they are descendants of the civilization that formed around the River Indus.  The Indus river flows entirely through modern-day Pakistan, Kashmir and Tibet.  The Indus Valley Civilization was located primarily (95%) in modern day Pakistan.  The Indus binds together the 6 regions of Pakistan: Baluchistan, Sindh, Punjab, Kashmir, Khyber-P, Gilgit-Baltistan.

PEOPLE OF THE INDUS RIVER – PAKISTAN (Baluchistan, Punjab, KP, Kashmir, Sindh).  The Indus basically mimics the shape of modern day Pakistan.

Indus City of Moenjo-Daro proudly displayed on Pakistani Currency.

Ruins of IVC in modern day Pakistan

On the other hand, the Gangetic civilization of India is formed around the Ganges river which flows away from the Indus and terminates in the Bengal delta.  It is entirely in India and Bengal.  Note the divergent paths below of the two rivers:

Indus – A river in Pakistan

Gangetic Civilization in Modern “India”

PRE-HISTORY

India and Pakistan have been under ‘unified’ rule for only 500 out of 10,000 years and that too under mostly Islamic or Buddhist rule.  Whether as Muslim, Vedic, Buddhist or Hindu, Pakistan or the people of Indus were rarely part of “Indian” civilization.  Mehrgarh one of the most important Neolithic (7000 BCE to c. 2500 BCE) sites in archaeology, lies on the “Kachi plain” of Balochistan, Pakistan.  Baluchistan has hardly been part of “India”.  This civilization is one of the earliest sites with evidence of farming (wheat and barley) and herding (cattle, sheep and goats) in not only South Asia but the whole world.

RACE

While the racial features of each ethnic group are not uniform, Pashtuns are the most Caucasoid, followed by Kashmiris, Baluchis, north Punjabis, and then Sindhis, Seraikis, Urdu-speakers.  The Australoid-Negroid and Mongoloid racial elements are quite infused within the dominant Caucasoid genes among Pakistanis, however there are some that have retained their distinct racial characteristics.  The Australoid-Dravidoid racial element dominates among the lower caste Indians, South Indians, Eastern and Central Indians.  The Caucasoid racial element dominates in Northwest Indians and higher caste Indians. The Mongoloid racial element dominates in Northeast Indians and border regions with China.

Indian are majority Proto-Australoids, Australoid-Negroid, Dravidians

35 Million Pakistanis are Pushtun – Biggest Pushtun Population in the World. As you can see this ordinary man in Karachi streets looks nothing like the Indians above.

India hosts the world’s largest population of Proto-Australoids.  The Austrics of India represent a race of medium height, dark complexion with long heads and rather flat noses. Miscegenation with the earlier Negroids may be the reason for the dark or black pigmentation of the skin and flat noses.  The Austrics laid the foundation of Indian civilization. They cultivated rice and vegetables and made sugar from sugarcane. Now these people are found primarily in three countries: India, Papua New Guinea and Australia.  Their languages have survived only in the Central and Eastern India.

Australoid/Negroids in India, Australia and Papua New Guinea.

ETHNICITY
A significant portion of Pakistani population is Afghan/Pashtun and Irani/Baluchistanis.  The Pashtun are an integral part of Pakistan’s establishment. It can be said there are two Pashtun countries in the world, Afghanistan and Pakistan. This ethnic group has contributed many of Pakistan’s presidents & prime ministers (Ayub Khan, Yahya Khan, Zafarullah Khan, Liaqat Ali Khan, Feroz Khan). There are more Pashtuns in Pakistan than Afghanistan and more in Karachi than Kabul.  There are 15 Million Pushtun Speakers in Afghanistan and 25 Million in Pakistan!  India does not have Pushtun speakers.  Interestingly, this group has also inflicted defeat after defeat on what is now republic of India and can never be considered “Indian”.  People of Iranian ancestry have that have taken leadership positions include Benazir Bhutto and the current prime minister Gilani who visited his ancestral homes on a trip to Iran.  Arabs settled along the Indus and Omanis settled in the enclave of Gwadar.  Still other Pakistanis are descendants of Mongols, Mughals and Turks in addition to Persians, Sakas, Parthians, Hephthalites and Greeks.

Pakistani Ethnicities; Another pull towards the Oxus and Central Asia

LINGUISTICS

Pakistanis speaks exclusively Indo-Iranian or Indo-Aryan languages whereas much of India speaks Proto-Australoid languages.  Balgir (2004) designates the following Indian tribes as Proto-Australoid racial group: Bhumiz, Gadaba, Juang, Kharia, Koda, Kolha, Mahali, Mirdha, Munda, Santal, Saora tribes.  Australoid racial stock is represented by: Gond, Kondh, Kissan, Oraon, Paraja, Pentia, Halva.  These Australoid tribes don’t exist in Pakistan proper.  Urdu uses the persian-based script. Hindi uses Devangari script.

The research by Kashyap (2006) designates 23 out of 54 Indian populations studied as Australoid, of which 1 speaks an Indo-European language (Dhangar of Maharashtra), 4 speak Austro-Asiatic languages (Kurmi of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar Kurmi of Bihar, and Juangand Saora of Orissa), 18 speak Dravidian languages.  7 populations were designated as Mongoloid, and the remaining 24 as Caucasoid.

About 99% of languages spoken in Pakistan are either Indo-Aryan or Indo-Iranian (sub-branches 75% Indo-Aryan 24% Iranian).  All languages of Pakistan are written in the Persio-Arabic script, with significant vocabulary derived from Punjabi, Seraiki, Sindhi, Pashto, Urdu, Balochi, Kashmiri which are the languages of Pakistan.

Indian languages, 69% of languages spoken in India are Indo-Aryan, 26% are Dravidian, and 5% are Sino-Tibetan and Austro-Asiatic, All unrelated/distinct family of languages.  Most languages in India are written in Brahmi- derived scripts such as Devangari, Gurmukhi, Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Assamese, Punjabi, Naga, and many others are the mother-tongue languages spoken in each of India’s states.

Pakistanis mainly speak Indo-Iranic languages. Indo-Iranic languages include Balochi, Sindhi, Kashmiri, Punjabi, Undri (Urdu) and Pashto are Indo-Iranic languages as are all the other languages of Pakistan which descend from a common proto-Indo-Iranic language around the second millennia BC. Only Brahui (Dravidian), Baltistani (Sino-Tibetian), and Burusho (language isolate) are non-Indo-Iranic,  however it’s speakers are not that geneticly distinct form the rest of Pakistanis.  Punjabi is the majority language of Pakistan.  Punjabi is 2% of India.  In the case of Urdu/Hindi, while Hindi is the mother- tongue of a majority in India, Urdu is the mother-tongue of a minority 8% Pakistanis.

Hindi – (Indian)

Urdu (Pakistan)

We are often told that Urdu is the same as Hindi or something called “Hindustani”.  This denigrates Urdu to have no uniqueness, beauty, history and culture of its own!  More on the difference between Urdu and Hindi:  http://reformistani.wordpress.com/2012/02/11/do-you-speak-real-urdu-or-hindi/

Here is a sample of Persian and Turkish words in Urdu/Pakistani Language:

PERSIAN – biriyani, kabob, khaki, kurta, lashkar, Naan (nayan – baluchi), pyjama, gulab, somosa, baksheesh, taj, mahal, stan, taftan, tandoori, baaluchi, baalcony, bas, bazaar, bazigar, begaar, beige, bronze, bulbul, bukshi, bund, bundobust, burka, kharbuz — pronounced “kurbooja” in Hindi, karawan, chador, chakdar, charpayee, shachtrunj, chanaar, khush, daftar, darzi, darvesh, dastur, ashturee, doab, durbar, durwan, dustak, inam, farsi, fauj, fauji, feringhee, fida, gul, khana, halal, hawala, jagir, jama, asmin, jamaat, jujube, khidmat, khoja, mazdur, mehman, mehmandar, mirza, mughul, mussulman, namaz, naran (orange), pasha, pakistan, paak, parah, pasha, pashm, pashmina, pashto, purri (fairy), pilaf, pista,  parwannah, rung, rukh, roshun, sabzi, samosa  (sambusa), sandal, sard, sarwan, scimitar, seer (unit of weight), sheer, sarray, bandar (port), shah, shahi, shaheen, shahzada, shamiayana, shawl, shiraz, shikaar (pronounced sikar in hindi) ,shikaari, shikast, shikasta, sipahi, sirkaar, sekonji, subah, shukkar, surma, thana, dulband, band, toafaan, wazir, zameen, zenana

*Pakistani national anthem was written in Farsi by a Pakistani Hindu.

TURKISH – acab / ajab, adaalat, aadam, ahısta ahısta, akl / akal,  aks, ananas, asli / asal, aşik / aashik, avara, aavaz, aurat, aaina, aazad, badem, barood, canam / janaam, javab, çaku / chaku, çat / chatt, çay / chai, dard, dost, diwar, dukan, duniya, durbin, duşman / dushman, acnabi / ajanabi, adab, agar, albatta, fakir, , gumgurur, gunah, hava, hafta, hazier, halwa, hesap, ancir / anjeer, insan, harbuz / kharboze, kalam, kaatil, ki, kitab, khima, kofta, manzara, masum, musafir, maidan, mohabbat, mum, musibat, anar, nafrat, bazu, pehelvan, paynir, pulaw, roh / rooh, sabun, , sade, , saaf, sahil, , sabzi, sırf, şarab / sharab, şakar / shakkar, şaytan / shaytaan, şikayet / shikayet, şiş kebap, şişa / shisha, tava, taze / taaza, top, urdu, vatan, yani, yar, zalim, zancir / zanjeer

GENETICS

The Pakistani population consists of mostly Indo-Aryans.  70% of Pakistanis are Caucasoid by race, 20% Australoid- Negroid, and 10% Mongoloid in their overall genetic composition. 50% of Indians are Australoid-Negroid by race, 35% Caucasoid, and 15% Mongoloid in their overall genetic composition.

Pakistanis carry common R1A genetic markers clearly indicating obvious common ancestry. Mostly the north western Iranic speakers and the Dardic speakers are said to be closely related with a higher frequency of R1A genetic markers as opposed to the Indo-Aryan speaking population with slightly lower R1A frequencies (mainly Punjabis and Sindhis), however they are still all connected.   Even the non-Indo-European speaking populations – mainly the Brahuis, Hunzas (also called Burushos) and Baltistanis- do not stand much out genetically.  See genetic difference below between Indians (Hindi, Marwari, Gujrati, Marathi, Kannada, Konkani) and Pakistanis (Balochi, Brahui,Makrani, Sindhi, Pathan, Kashmiri, Punjabi).  Genetically, Pakistanis are closer to Bedouin than they are to Marathis.  Click on the images below to see difference in genetics between Pakistanis and Indians:

Genetic Disposition of Central and South Asians.   India in Green, Pakistani in Blue and Iran and Central Asia in Orange.

J variance in Iran, Pakistan, India, Turkey, and the Balkans Quintana-Murci et al. reported that the STR variance in haplogroup J is .57 in Iran, .47 in Pakistan, .36 in India. For this particular variance, Pakistan is closer to Iran than India or rather in the middle.  On the same loci, the STR variance derived from the Balkan data of Bosch et al. is 0.55.

The Genetic Difference

At K=7, a Southwest Asian component emerges which is highest in Arabia and East Africa.  Another interesting aspect of its distribution is its presence in Pakistan but not India. Perhaps, in this case, it reflects historical contacts between the Islamic Near East and parts of South Asia.  Indians have a 1.8 NE/NW ratio. In Pakistan this is 6.5, in Uzbeks it is 2.9, and in the North Eurasian_Ra it is 14.2.

Genetic Map. Note Pakistani Category versus Indian Quadrant – Gujratis, Sri Lankans, Brahmins.  Pakistan is close to Central Asia at grid point 0,0.

Notice Pakistani ethnic groups versus Indian ethnic groups

RELIGION

It is important to note that Sub-continent Muslims and Sub-Continent Hindus are two distinct civilizations.  Islam reached Pakistan, Bengal & India within decades of its inception in the 7th century through arab traders. In 1937 at the 19th session of the Hindu Mahasabha held at Ahmedabad, Veer Savarkar in his presidential address asserted: “India cannot be assumed today to be Unitarian and homogeneous nation, but on the contrary there are two nations in the main — the Hindus and the Muslims.” Another Hindu, Bhai Parmanand points out in his pamphlet called “The Hindu National Movement”:—“In history the Hindus revere the memory of Prithvi Raj, Partap, Shivaji and, Beragi Bir, who fought for the honour and freedom of this land (against the Muslims), while the Mahomedans look upon the invaders of India, like Muhammad Bin Qasim and rulers like Aurangzeb as their national heroes”

In the religious field, the Hindus draw their inspiration from the Ramayan, the Mahabharat, and the Geeta. The Musalmans, on the other hand, derive their inspiration from the Quran and the Hadith. Thus, the things that divide are far more vital than the things which unite.  In depending upon certain common features of Hindu and Mahomedan social life, in relying upon common language, common race and common country, the Indian is mistaking what is accidental and superficial for what is essential and fundamental Muslims and Hindus have different diet.   Hindus revere the cow, Muslims butcher them for their meat and hide.  In Hinduism, society is highly stratified.  In Islam, “untouchables” converts are welcomed as equal brothers.  In much of India, Muslims live in what are called “Muslim areas” a euphemism for ghettos.   As noted by Bhai Parmanand, Heroes of Muslims are scoundrels s to Hindus (Augranzeb, Babur, Afzal Khan, Ghazni, Ghauri).  Heroes of Hindus are scoundrels to Muslims (Shivaji, Sambajhi).  The two differ in perceptions.  Hindus see Muslims as disloyal progeny of half-breeds, forced-converts, former untouchables or foreign invaders.  Muslims see themselves as Central Asians or Inspired Converts and former masters of western, central & southern asia.  Although Pakistanis are proud of ancient civilizations such as the Indus and their South Asian heritage, Pakistanis the people consider Pakistan the state as a natural extension of the Southwest Asian Muslim experience of the last 1000 years.  Muslims in South Asia have many cultural similarities and by extension dissimilarities from Hindus.  Many Indian Muslims though certainly not all may have appearances of Central Asians & Arabs especially in urban locations.

97% of PAKISTAN is ISLAMIC.

81% of INDIA or 972 million are HINDU.

GEOGRAPHY

The republic of India is in its entirety located in South Asia.  Pakistani is situated at a pivotal geo-strategic, cross-civilizational location. It sits at the intersection of multiple civilizations. Pakistan is considered to be part of the Central Asia by UN. The country is considered to be part of the greater middle east. It is also part of South Asia.   Pakistan is considered to be part of Central Asia both geographically and culturally. India is not.  Central Asia consists of the following nations: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and the following “territories”: Afghanistan, China, Iran, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia.  Pakistan has several central asian “cultural capitals” like Peshawar. India does not.  Pakistan is similar to Turkey in Eurasia.  It is part of multiple strategic locations to the Central Asian STAN countries. India is not.  Wakhan Corridor: In Afghanistan, with Tajikistan to the north, Pakistan to the south and China to the east, Khyber Pass: Between Afghanistan and the Pakistan Khunjerab Pass: Between Pakistan and China.

United Nations Designation of Middle & Greater Middle East

Pakistan is part of the “Greater Middle East”. India is not.  In the UN map, Dark green in this map is “Middle East”.  The G8 considers Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, Algeria, Morrocco, Tunisia to be part of the “Greater Middle East”.  Armenia, Azerbaijan and the former soviet republics are considered “the greater middle east” sometimes.

TOPOGRAPHY
Topography of the Indus and the Indian region has historically separated the two countries.  Pakistan occupies the western region of the subcontinent and is based around the Indus Valley. It is separated from India proper by a historically impassable desert and by swamps in the south, leaving only northern Punjab, in the central part of the country, as a point of contact.  A small portion of Punjab was partitioned to India.  Pakistan is the major modern-day remnant of Muslim rule over medieval India.  On the other hand, Historic Pakistan has been easily accessible to Afghanistan & Iran.  Everyday thousands of Pakistanis and Afghans cross the border to visit their relatives.

Inhospitable Terrain between Historic Regions.  Mangroves in the south, Desert in the middle, Karokaram in the north.  Only Northern Punjab is easily accessible with the rest of partitioned Punjab.  The northwestern provinces of  british india have in common the Indus River.

To truly appreciate the inhospitable terrain on most of the Indo/Pak border a, satellite image at night demonstrates the absence of civilization right in middle of one of the most populated regions of the world..  See Bracket Below. It also shows Pakistan’s civilization nestle the Indus like it has for thousands of years.

FOREIGN RELATIONS
As independent nations, Pakistan and India have gone separately in their foreign relations.

In the Near, India, despite its pacifist pretensions, attacked and invaded the Portugese Colony of Goa.  Conversely, Pakistan negotiated and purchased the Omani Colony of Gwadar.  Pakistan negotiated an agreement with China on border territories, Conversely, India attempted the provocative forward policy.  Pakistan is has an exemplary friendship with China and considers its friendship “higher than mountains deeper than oceans”.  Conversely, India has had a war with China and considers it to be her #1 enemy.  Pakistan supported and fought alongside of the Afghans against the Soviets.  India was a staunch ally of the Soviets.  Pakistan has not been war with any neighbor except India.  India has been at war or conflict with Pakistan, China, Sri Lanka and has poor relations with Nepal, Bangladesh.

In the near-far, Pakistan has brotherly relations with a majority of the Islamic World and is a founding member of OIC (Organization of Islamic Countries).  India does not enjoy the support of Muslim countries on the critical issue of Kashmir and is not allowed in the OIC even as a guest.

In the far, Pakistan has a history of friendship with USA.  India has always been in the Soviet/Russian camp.  Pakistan does not recognize Israel.  Israel is an important strategic partner of India.

CULTURE

This map shows the long-standing cultural centers and frontiers of South Asia. Pakistani territory is distinct from Indian territory and India has many cultural centers or nations within.a

The region has formed a distinct cultural unit within the main cultural complex of South Asia, the Middle East and Central Asia from the earliest times, and is analogous to Turkey’s position in Eurasia.[1] There are differences in culture among the different ethnic groups in matters such as dress, food, and religion, especially where pre-Islamic customs differ from Islamic practices. Their cultural origins also reveal influences from far afield, including Tibet, Nepal, India and eastern Afghanistan. All groups show varying degrees of influence from Persia, Turkestan and Hellenistic Greece. Pakistan was the first region of South Asia to receive the full impact of Islam and has developed a distinct Islamic identity, historically different from areas further west.

CUISINE

Pakistani cuisine relies heavily on meat, especially red meat.  Indian food relies more on vegetable dishes as the cow is revered.  Indians use more mustard seeds, curry leaves, and hinge.  Hinge is disliked in Pakistan for its strong smell.  Pakistan’s specializations are haleem,  balti, beef nihari, chappli kabab, other shared dishes like biriani and pullao are also originally from Central Asia.

Cuisine is regional not national.  The foods of the various Northern Pakistan ethnic groups are not similar to Indian food so much, and overlap more with Afghan and Central Asian cuisines.  There are places in Pakistan near to China where the people eat home made flat noodle broth soups with shredded meat and fresh herb garnish like “dodo” in Hunza and Gilgit.  Even within Punjab, there are differences.  Sikh and Hindu Punjabis eat a lot more paneer and paneer-based dishes are unknown in Pakistan.

While there are similarities to North Indian cuisine due to central asia’s influence on India, South Indian cusine is completely different.  Dishe ssuch as : kevar kalli, idli, sambar, vadai, rasam, dosa, thayir sadam (yogurt rice), thayir vadai (yogurt-soaked fritters), kootu (vegetables in wet style), poriyal/kari (vegetables in dry style), murukku,uthappam, idiappam, appalam is unknown to Pakistanis.

Food is not prepared in this manner in all of Pakistan.

A very novel way of serving food on a plantain leaf in India.

Here are just a few list of highly popular regional Indian dishes but completely unknown (unfortunately) to Pakistanis:

,Lapsi,Bafla,Bhutte ki Khees,Thalipeeth,Vada Pao
,Modak,Xacuti,Bibinca,Prawn Balchao
,Bisi Bele Bhat,Kesari Bath,Mysore Pak,Dharwand Pedha
,Chiroti,Sadya Meal,Avial,Malabar Parotha,
,Payasam,,Irachi Stew,,Apparn,,Idli,,Sambar,
,Rasam,,Chettinad,,Pongal,,Appam,,Bafauri,
,Kusli,,Red Ant Chutney
,Kadugu,Yerra,Vendakkai
,Patchaddy,Zu,Chakwi,Mwkwhi,Muitru
,Jadoh,Khiromohan,Rasabali,Chhenapodapitha
,Dham,Dal-Baati_churma,Ker Sangaari
,Lal Maas Gette,Jhangora
,Momos,Gundruk,Maasor Tenga
,Pitha,Thekua,Pua,Marua-ka-Roti

PHYSICAL FEATURES
A common international perception based on observance of physical features is that most Pakistanis are lighter skinned than most Indians.  Most Pakistanis resemble the looks of peoples inhabiting on Pakistan’s western borders and beyond i.e. Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Iran, Turkmenistan.  Many Pakistanis also resemble many Northwest Indians or higher caste Indians.  However, those are a minority in India.   Similarly, some Pakistanis resemble peoples of South India, lower caste Indians, Northeast India, etc. but they are a minority in Pakistan.  Majority of Pakistanis have fair skin complexion and majority of Indian have dark complexion.  Pakistanis have a Caucasoid skull type.

Map of World by member size

The differences between Pakistanis and Indians are not as prominent as say the Chinese and Nigerians.  Nor are the two people as similar as Americans and Canadians.   There are cases where a Punjabi from Pakistan may look like a small portion of Punjab partitioned to India just as NWFP and Baluchistan have similarity to Afghanistan and Iran respectively.  But a simple comparison of ordinary people in ordinary circumstances makes it blatantly obvious, that these are two different people.  The purpose of highlighting these differences is not to suggest that one is better than the other.  Rather, the purpose is only to respect our differences.  Pakistanis only want to lay claim to their heritage.

Click on thumbnails of ordinary people of Pakistan and India

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SCHOOL CHILDREN

Indian

Pakistani – The difference in complexion and shades of hair is quite obvious.

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FEMALE TROOPS

Indian Female Troops

Pakistani Female Pilots – Once again, complexion and features are visibly different.

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NATIONAL FEMALE SKIERS

Indian

Pakistani – The difference could not be more pronounced in both complexion and feature and similarities to central Asians.

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FEMALE FANS

Indian – Attractive ladies at a cricket match

Pakistani – Once again the female fans above have a classic South Indian, South Asian look whereas the Pakistani girls have features found all over in Pakistan.

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NURSES

Indian

Pakistani nurses.  Indian girls above look very much like each other, their counterparts in Pakistan look different.

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WOMEN’S CRICKET TEAMS

Indian

Pakistani – Complexion and hair very much different

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FANS ABROAD

Indian – Even abroad, the difference is quite clear and no jersey or flags are needed to identify the two peoples from each other.

Pakistani

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FEMALE ATHLETES

Indian

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U-19 TEAMS

Indian

Pakistanis – Very obvious difference

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RETIRED CAPTAINS

Indian

Pakistani – the two gentlemen are highly accomplished but look like they are from two different parts of the world (in this case).

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FANS

Indian Fans

Pakistani Fans

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CAPTAINS

Indian Cricket Captain – A very typical Indian face.  Compare features of Indian Astronaut below.

Pakistani Captain

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UNIVERSITY GRADUATES 

Indian University Students

Pakistani University Students – These girls look very different from the graduates in India.

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ASTRONAUTS

Indian Astronaut

Pakistani Astronaut

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CERN SCIENTIST

Indian CERN Scientist

Pakistani CERN Scientist

Indian Women often have “frizzy” hair. This trait is rare in Pakistani women.

Ordinary punjabi girls with straight hair

Indian Prime Minister

Pakistani Prime Minister – Was on the People’s magazine of Most Beautiful People in the World.

Indian Students

Pakistani-American Students – A striking difference from Indian-Australian Students above.  1 may look similar to the Indian crowd above and 1 from Indian crowd may look like the majority in this picture.  Overall the difference is quite obvious.

“India” – a superstate

The British conquered the various kingdoms in the Indian subcontinent one by one. Then, for ease of administering (ruling) the conquered territories, the British set up an administrative unit called India. A country or administrative unit called India (or by any other name), comprising of the current territories of India, never existed in all known history, before the British conquest and consolidation.  During the British colonial rule, people of the Indian subcontinent (including those areas now in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Sri Lanka) had a common purpose and agenda, namely, freedom from British colonial rule. Such a one-ness of purpose never before existed among the various peoples of the Indian subcontinent. It brought them together. Finally, in the middle of the 20th century (in the middle 1940s), the weakened-by-WWII British to end their rule over their empire. The oneness of purpose that evolved during the freedom struggle against the British held, with the one exception that most of the Muslim-majority regions in the north became a separate nation called Pakistan at the insistence of the Muslims. Much of the rest of the subcontinent hodgepodge became a country called “India”.  ”India is an ancient country! We are Indians!”

Another point of confusion is the fact that what we know as the modern republic of “India” is really territory conquered by central Asians and consolidated by the British empire.  560 principalities, states, nations or cultures were consolidated.  The same can be said of Pakistan but it is united by religion (Islam), languages (Indo-Iranic), script (farsi), philosophy (TNT), civilization (Indus), cuisine (Mughalai).  Each of Pakistan’s ethnic groups meet each other on the banks of the Indus.   India is much more diverse amalgamation of states.  India, at a minimum, is a country made of the following countries:

GEO-POLITICAL HISTORY

These are the facts:

• “India” was never one country, culture, nation
• Pakistani territory (Indus) has rarely been part of Peninsular India  

• 1000 AD
• Pakistan territory is part of the Central Asian Ghaznavid Empire & Sindh separate from “India”
• India territory is made up of many nations

• 1100
• AfPak is part of Ghaznavid empire & Sindh
• Indian territory made up of many nations

• 1200
• AfPak Ghaznavid empire with an army of Pushtun Soldiers, ancestors of modern day Afpak, with its capital located in Lahore, Pakistan, they invade northern India’s Gahadvala Empire
• Most of Pakistani Territory is part of Central Asian Ghurid Empire which by this time has conquered Northern India & Sindh
• Indian Territory is a series of countries Bengal, Malwa, Chola and Hoysala.

• 1220
• Pakistan consists of Sindh and Delhi Sultante of the Mamluk
• Indian Territory is a series of countries Bengal, Malwa, Chola and Hoysala.

• 1240
• Delhi Consulate consolidates Pakistan and continues to make gains in peninsular India and Bangladesh.
• Indian Territory is a series of countries Bengal, Malwa, Chola and Hoysala.

Historical Baggage

Pakistanis consider themselves to be the descendants of the Ghauris, Mughals, Durranis, Suris, Lodhis, Ghazni  who ruled the modern Indus nation of Pakistan for close to a thousand years.  The Pakistani population consists of mostly Indo-Aryans.  A significant chunk of the population is Afghan/Pashtun and Irani/Baluchistanis.   The Pashtun are an integral part of Pakistan’s establishment.  It can be said there are two Pashtun countries in the world, Afghanistan and Pakistan.  This ethnic group has contributed many of Pakistan’s presidents & prime ministers (Ayub Khan, Yahya Khan, Zafarullah Khan, Liaqat Ali Khan, Feroz Khan).  Their are more Pashtuns in Karachi than Kabul.  Hamid Karzai refers to Pakistan and Afghanistan as conjoined twins.  The Afghan king once considered a federation between Pakistan and Afghanistan.  People of Iranian ancestry have that have taken leadership positions include Benazir Bhutto and the current prime minister Gilani who visited his ancestral homes on a trip to Iran.  Arabs settled along the Indus and Omanis settled in the enclave of Gwadar.  Still other Pakistanis are descendants of Mongols, Mughals and Turks in addition to Persians, Sakas, Parthians, Hephthalites and Greeks. The great Mughal emperor Akbar was born in Sind.  Sher Shah Suri was born in Multan.  Ayub Khan emir of Afghanistan and destroyer of Anglo/Indian army is buried in Peshawar a hero to both countries.  His grandson fought for Pakistan leading a division in 1965.

These ethnic groups that make up the Indus nation of Pakistan inflicted defeat after defeat on what is northern and peninsular india.  Although Pakistanis are proud of ancient civilizations such as the Indus and their South Asian heritage, Pakistanis the people consider Pakistan the state as a natural extension of the Southwest Asian Muslim experience of the last 1000 years.

Indus History distinct from developments in Peninsular Sub-Continent

* 1700 BC – 0600 BC: Start of the Aryan civilization in Sapta Sindhu, Punjab and of Indus culture
* 500 BC: Gandhara Buddhist civilization (500 BC to 500 AD)
* 516 BC: North Pakistan becomes easternmost province of Achaemenid Empire of Persia. Gandharais semi-independent kingdom
* 600 BC: Beginning of historic period under Achaemenians; Sindh & Punjab as provinces of the empire of Darius I of Persia
* 327 BC – 325 BC: Alexander of Macedonia invades Pakistan and captures Taxila
* 300 BC: Mauryan empire, Ashoka promotes Buddhism
* 185 BC: Bactrian Greeks conquer North-West Pakistan
* 75 BC: Arrival of Scythians (Sakas) from central Asia
* 20: Parthians conquer Northern Pakistan
* 60: Kushans from central Asia overthrow Parthians
* 3rd Century: Kushans decline and are dominated by Sassanian empire of Persia
* 4th Century: Kidar (little) Kushans come to power
* 450: White Huns (Hephthalites) attacked Gandhara, sacked its cities and burnt down its many monasteries and centres of learning
* 565: Sassanians and Turks overthrow Huns
* Late 6th –7th Century: Turki Shahi control area West of Indus, including Gandhara
* 711 – 712: Muhammad bin Qasim conquers Sindh and Southern Punjab
Coastal trade and the presence of a colony in Sindh permitted significant cultural exchange and the introduction of Muslim teachers into the subcontinent. Considerable conversions took place, especially amongst the Buddhist majority.

* 870 – 1026: Hindu Shahi ruled from Multan to Kabul
* 1001: Mahmud Ghazni defeats the Hindu Shahi king Jayapala (A Janjua Rajput) near Peshawar
* 1021: Mahmud Ghazni defeats Tarnochalpal and annexes Punjab
* 1058: Sumra Dynasty (1058–1351) ends the Arab domination and establishes its own rule over Sindh.
* 1148 – 1206: Ghaurids Period
* 1221: Mongol Genghis Khan invades Punjab
* 1351: Samma Dynasty assumed rule over Sindh
* 1398: Tamerlane plunders Lahore
* 1472: Sher Shah Suri (original name Farid Khan] born in Multan
* 1526 – 1857: Mughal ascendancy (1526–1707), nominal rule by Mughals (1707–1857)
* 1541 – 1543: Sher Shah Suri built the Rohtas Fort
* 1586: Yusufzais defeat Akbar in the Karakar pass
* 1701: Kalhoro Dynasty establishes its rule over Sindh
* 1739: Nadir Shah of Persia invades subcontinent
* 1751-52: Ahmed Shah Abdali annexes Punjab to his kingdom
* 1782: The Baloch tribe of Talpur defeats the last Kalhora ruler Mian Abdul Nabi in the battle of Halani

These diverse ancestral groups of races & religions above are proudly represented by their descendants in modern day Pakistan.

An interesting comment by Dr. Jamil Chaudri

A lot of British were born in India, but that did not make them Indian. Since the time of Mahmood of Ghazna, citizens of what is now the United Islamic Republics (Afghania and Pakia) had lived in the Islamic patrimony of Hind, but that DID NOT make them Hindi! In 1947, most Pakis were indeed Hindi-born; but, really, they never were Hindi by aptitude or inclination or ethnicity.
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Just the same as at the end of British rule, most British (whether born in Hind or otherwise) left for the UK or British Dominions (Australia, South Africa, etc.), in 1947 most Pakis left Hind. Some Hindis seem unable to understand the difference between religion and ethnicity. Hindi-Muslims are still in India; those from the United Islamic Republics left Hind in 1947. We were never Hindi – a strange set of circumstances had spread us across the Gangetic Plains – in 1947, or thereafter, we returned home!!  Perhaps, the phrase needs a bit of elaboration. It was the spirit of adventure and romance, an outwards outlook, curiosity, and the zeal of sharing our civilization that spread us over the Gengetic Plain. The Romance lasted for a few hundred years and when zeal waned, our fathers returned to our ancestral ethnic home-land: the United Islamic Republics.  You raise two interesting issues. Issue 1: Geographic; and Issue 2: Civilizational.  Regarding the Geographic issue, in my writing I mentioned the Gangetic Plain, as the area where Afghan-Paki people sojourned. The Indus River (its source and its tributaries) is an Afghan-Pakistani River. Even ancient geographers recognised the boundary of Hind to be TO THE EAST OF the Indus River SYSTEM. The Indus River System has NOTHING to do with Hind; it only defines Hind as a land on the other side of the Indus System. In Latin, Hind would be defined as a trans-Indus land.  The second issue pertains to civilizational differences. In the Afghan-Pakistani (linked with Turkic) anschauung, the Upland Afghans brought a message and a civilization which was well received by the inhabitants of the Afghan Lowlands (Indus River System). The Pakistanis are totally Afghanised. Although I am a Jatt, from Ludihana in Hindi Punjab, in terms of ethnicity I am an Afghan from the top of my head (the Karakul Hat) to the sole of my shoes (the Peshawari sandals). In our anschauung anybody who accepts our WAY OF LIFE becomes US. Whether they came from Greece, or Japan (or from the moon for that matter!) provided they have the inclination and aptitude to be Afghan-Pakistani , that person is no longer a foreigner: He or she is US.  The treachery of Albion resulted in some of the Afghan-Pakitani Lands being presently occupied by Hind.

Dress

Pakistanis overwhelmingly wear Shalwar-Qameez.  Shalwar is a persian word wrongly pronounced in India as “Salwar”.  Qameez is an Arabic word.  In India, Saris are much more popular even though the origin of the Sari is date to Pakistan’s Indus civilization.  Sari are also not preferred due to the exposed midriff.  Pakistani men wear the Peshawari Chappal, sometimes even with jeans.  These durable shoes can last for ten years.   Lungees are worn in India even by government officials, In Pakistan, Lungis are not worn much.  In India, the traditional style of dress for men is the dhoti or lungi. This is a long white sheet of cloth and men will wear a shirt or t-shirt over it. Kurta-pyjama and European and Western influenced trousers and shirts are also becoming more popular among men.  The draped sari is generally considered to be one of the most popular forms of traditional Indian dress for women. They can be made out of a range of different fabrics, although silk saris still reign as the most elegant choice. The sari is usually worn over a blouse, by girls and women of all ages

The society and culture of Pakistan (Urdu: ثقافت پاکستان) comprises numerous diverse cultures and ethnic groups: the Punjabis, Kashmiris, Sindhis in east, Muhajirs, Makrani in the south; Baloch and Pashtun in the west; and the ancient Dardic, Wakhi, and Burusho communities in the north. These Pakistani cultures have been greatly influenced by many of the surrounding countries’ cultures, such as the Turkic peoples, Persian, Arab, some parts of South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East.
In ancient times, Pakistan was a major cultural hub. Many cultural practices and great monuments have been inherited from the time of the ancient rulers of the region. One of the greatest cultural influences was that of the Persian Empire, of which Pakistan was a part. In fact, the Pakistani satraps were at one time the richest and most productive of the massive Persian Empire. Other key influences include the Afghan Empire, Mughal Empire and later, the short-lived but influential, the British Empire.
Pakistan has a cultural and ethnic background going back to the Indus Valley Civilization, which existed from 2800–1800 B.C., and was remarkable for its ordered cities, advanced sanitation, excellent roads, and uniquely structured society. Pakistan has been invaded many times in the past, and has been occupied and settled by many different peoples, each of whom have left their imprint on the current inhabitants of the country. Some of the largest groups were the Proto-Indo-Aryans, of which Sindhis and Punjabis descend from and later Iranic peoples which the Baloch and Pashtuns descend from. Other less significant ones include the Greeks, Scythians, Persians, White Huns, Arabs, Turks, Mongols, Buddhists, and other Eurasian groups, up to and including the British, who left in the late 1940s.
The region has formed a distinct cultural unit within the main cultural complex of South Asia, the Middle East and Central Asia from the earliest times, and is analogous to Turkey’s position in Eurasia.[1] There are differences in culture among the different ethnic groups in matters such as dress, food, and religion, especially where pre-Islamic customs differ from Islamic practices. Their cultural origins also reveal influences from far afield, including Tibet, Nepal, India, and eastern Afghanistan. All groups show varying degrees of influence from Persia, Turkestan and Hellenistic Greece. Pakistan was the first region of South Asia to receive the full impact of Islam and has developed a distinct Islamic identity, historically different from areas further west.[1]
Diwan-e-Khas: the hall of special audience with the emperor
Bahauddin Zakariya
Ancient sites in Pakistan include: Zoroastrian Fire temples, Islamic centres, shi’a shrines/Sufi shrines, Buddhist temples, Sikh, Hindu, and pagan temples and shrines, gardens, tombs, palaces, monuments, and Mughal and Indo-Saracenic buildings. Sculpture is dominated by Greco-Buddhist friezes, and crafts by ceramics, jewellery, silk goods and engraved woodwork and metalwork.
Pakistani society is largely multilingual, multi-ethnic and multicultural. Though cultures within the country differ to some extent, more similarities than differences can be found, as most Pakistanis are mainly of Aryan heritage or have coexisted side by side along the Indus River for several thousand years, or both. However, over 60 years of integration, a distinctive “Pakistani” culture has sprung up, especially in the urban areas where many of the diverse ethnic groups have coexisted and ithe country now having a literacy rate of 55%, up from 3% at the time of independence. Traditional family values are highly respected and considered sacred, although urban families increasingly form nuclear families, owing to socio-economic constraints imposed by the traditional culture of the extended family.
The past few decades have seen emergence of a middle class in cities such as Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Quetta, Faisalabad, Sukkur, Peshawar, Sialkot, Abbottabad, and Multan. Rural areas of Pakistan are regarded as more conservative, and are dominated by regional tribal customs dating back hundreds if not thousands of years.
“Pakistan’s culture is again unique like the rest of the country. Pakistan’s geography is the meeting point of South Asia, Central Asia and West Asia/Gulf. Its culture could be termed as a combination of sub continental, Islamic, Regional, English, and more recently global influences. Let us consider them piecemeal. The newly born Pakistan had to have a sub continental leaning, having been a part of for last 5000 years of its civilization. However, the Indus Valley, present day Pakistan, culture was different from the rest of North India or South India”. (Quoted Pakistan’s Identity, History and Culture, from the famous book Gwadar on the Global Chessboard by Nadir Mir)

Indian propaganda 1971

I was disgusted by this photo of our armed forces when I first saw it.  It is entrenched in the minds of Bangladeshis.  Pakistan did horrible things to our brothers in Bangladesh but India was involved in much propaganda.

Incredible example of Indian propaganda about Pakistan in 1971.  Lies caught:

http://www.defence.pk/forums/bangladesh-defence/127715-pakistani-brutality-wait-its-not.html

BANGLADESH ZINDABAD : We Pakistanis love your right back!

From http://www.dawn.com

Many Bangladeshi youth had painted their faces green and white, waved Pakistani flags with their own and chanted “Bangladesh Zindabad, Pakistan Zindabad.” -Photo by AP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s cricket team enjoyed massive crowd support at the Sher-e- Bangla National Stadium Mirpur, Dhaka as it convincingly beat West Indies by 10 wickets in first quarter final of the 2011 World Cup.

Right from the start, the 25,000-capacity stadium was fully charged and supported only one team and it might as well have been a home game for Pakistan. Afridi’s men might face a different prospect as they head for the semis in Mohali, India but for the moment they were thankful to the fans.

“We would really like to thank all the people who came out here to support Pakistan,” Man-of-the-match Mohammad Hafeez said.

Many Bangladeshi youth had painted their faces green and white, waved Pakistani flags with their own and chanted “Bangladesh Zindabad, Pakistan Zindabad.”

While Pakistan’s crushing win over the Windies will be a moment of joy for their followers, it will also be sweet revenge for the Bangladeshi fans who had seen Darren Sammy’s side record a thumping win over the Tigers in the group stage of the World Cup.

Supposed Pak and Bangla coordination against Indian designs

WHAT HAPPENED TO INDIA – BANGLADESH FRIENDSHIP?

Thus by the end of 1994, according to Karlekar’s information, the ISI, which had started operating with the utmost freedom in Bangladesh after Begum Khaleda Zia became prime minister in 1991, had already established a significant presence in West Bengal and was even in a position to shelter wanted persons from other parts of India in the state. Using Bangladesh as its springboard and aided by West Bengal state government’s complacency, it extended its network far and wide in the state in the next few years, using it as a staging area for its agents entering from Bangladesh to carry out terrorist acts in other parts of India and for sending people from different parts of India to Bangladesh for onward journey to Pakistan and Afghanistan for training as agents. It established “safe houses”, planted “sleepers” – agents who merged with the local people and remained dormant for long periods before acting – and centers for recruiting agents.

The ISI built up a substantial presence in several areas of Kolkata and almost all districts of the state bordering Bangladesh – with the Siliguri subdivision of Darjeeling district in the north receiving particular attention. All this was dramatically brought to light in January 1999, when Delhi police arrested Syed Abu Nasir, a Bangladeshi who had crossed over from Bangladesh to bomb the US Embassy in Delhi and the US Consulate General in Chennai. He reportedly revealed during interrogation that he and his team of nine had gathered in Kolkata in December 1998. From there, the three Indian members had been sent to Siliguri to establish a support base in collaboration with ISI agents stationed there, while the six “Afghans” – a generic term used to signify Afghans as well as various Arab and other terrorists trained in Afghanistan by al-Qaeda – went to Chennai. The three Indians who went to Siliguri were subsequently arrested while the six “Afghans” managed to disappear.

The ISI’s activities in the area attracted further attention during the Kargil war when a blast in a train in North Jalpaiguri station on June 24, 1999, directed at a group of soldiers traveling to Kashmir, killed two of them and injured 16. There were several other attempts to sabotage the movement of troops and equipment from northeastern to northwestern India. These incidents clearly underlined the reason for the ISI’s activities in Siliguri. Northeastern India’s sole direct land link with the rest of the country passes through the subdivision, particularly the narrow Siliguri-Islampur corridor.

Indeed, according to Indian intelligence sources, the ISI has long been providing assistance to insurgents in the northeast in a variety of ways, including helping them run their training camps in Bangladesh. After the installation of the Awami League government in Bangladesh in 1996, the Indian insurgent groups were asked to leave Bangladeshi soil. But dominant groups such as the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isaac Swu/Muivah (NSCN-I/M), ULFA, All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) and National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) continued to function in that country in a more covert manner by forging local-level links with Bangladeshi security forces.

Initially, in March/April 1997, Indian intelligence sources perceived some decline in insurgent activities and the militants, mainly belonging to ULFA and NSCN-I/M, had started winding up their overt activities and shifting their camps temporarily to Myanmar. But through support from such parties as the Bangladesh National Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI) and Freedom Party (FP), the militants started reorganizing themselves and re-established their camps in Bangladesh.

The ISI has managed to establish a rather intricate network in Bangladesh, thanks to the presence of the residue of pro-Pakistan sympathizers after 1971 and the influence it wielded between 1975 and 1996 when the Awami League was out of power. The period from 1991 to 1996, when Khaleda Zia was prime minister of the BNP government, proved particularly fruitful. During this period the ISI was not only able to subvert various local agencies, including the army, but also ran training camps for northeast Indian insurgents with the consent of the government.

After the Awami League government took power in June 1996, there was a review of government policy and official patronage of such anti-India activities was withdrawn. However, on account of loyalties built up over the years, and religious indoctrination and rampant corruption in the ranks of both Indian and Bangladeshi security forces, networks continued to facilitate movement of Indian insurgent leaders and also supply these groups with arms.

The ISI obviously realizes the importance of mobilizing anti-India and pro-Pakistan political elements in Bangladesh and bringing them to power with a view to securing state patronage. It has therefore nurtured the BNP while in and out of power, shoring it up up politically and financially. It has done the same with various rightist parties such as the FP and JEI. More recently the ISI has been playing a leading role in patching together an alliance between these rightist parties and assisting them in devising and launching a strategy to dislodge the Awami League from power.

After June 1996, on account of an unfriendly party being in power in Bagladesh, the ISI has had to give up its earlier brazenness and work covertly through various channels. While some operations are still controlled from the local Pakistani mission – where the ISI unit was said to be headed by A H Qureshi, a minister-rank official – a larger part of anti-Indian activities are conducted through various mosques, madrasas (seminaries) and attached training camps across the country, and through Pakistani agents and facilitators placed in various private organizations and political parties. There has also been liberal use of the country’s press for anti-India propaganda with communal overtones. The aim is to keep anti-India feelings high so that no government is ever in a position to accede to Indian requests for information about northeastern militants, and to stalemate Indian influence in Bangladesh.

The ISI makes use of prominent Bangladeshi names and institutions for its purposes. Indian officials cite the example of the Beximco Group – which employs about 600 Pakistanis and whose owners, Sohel and Solman Rahman, are alleged to have pro-Pakistan sympathies. Beximco Group has been allegedly used as conduit for funds to the BNP. Prominent local politicians Salauddin Qader Chowdhury, Syed Iskander (brother of Khaleda Zia) and Anwar Zahed, who are ensconced in the BNP, are alleged to have a well-documented history of indulging in arms trafficking into India’s northeast.

A number of other commercial establishments, namely Ibnesina, Islami Bank, Habib Bank, Pak Land and Lever Brothers, with known Pakistani links, and front organizations of fundamentalist parties like the JEI, Tablighi Jamaat, Jamaat-e-Tulaba and Jamaat-ul-Mudarreseen, allegedly serve the interests of the ISI. Moreover, Pakistan sympathizers within the army, various intelligence agencies and the bureaucracy continue to aid the ISI.

Indian officials allege that apart from intelligence operations conducted by Pakistan’s mission in Dhaka, agents are being sent directly from Pakistan for specific tasks such as training, briefing, supervising, providing funds, and meeting with militants. Some people collaborate with the ISI for political and religious reasons. Salahuddin Qader Choudhary and his brother Giasuddin Choudhary – both BNP leaders and alleged arms smugglers – are actively involved in abetting fundamentalists, militant groups such as Harkat-ul-Jihad, and rightist political parties such as JEI and IOJ. Notorious terrorist Abdul Karim Tunda from Chittagong, and Pakistan-trained alleged terrorist Asif Khan, who visited India to foment trouble during the last general elections, fall into this category.

The ISI is also said to have connections with non-governmental organizations such as Islamic Relief Organization and Junudul Muqawat Al Islamiya, as well as with madrasas such as Rabeta in Ramu, Cox’s Bazaar. The latter is a nerve center of all ISI operations in Greater Chittagong. Pakistani agents regularly visit and hold meetings there with Indian outfits like ULFA, NSCN-I/M, NLFT, and All Tripura Tiger Force.

The ISI’s intelligence operations include provision of funds to political parties – Gholam Azam of JEI and Salahuddin Qader Choudhary of BNP are allegedly to have received huge amounts for fomenting agitations – and militant outfits on Bangladesh, India and Myanmar. It also organizes recruitment and dispatch of potential mujahideen from madrasas and the youth wings of JEI, Shibir, IOJ etc, for induction into Indian territory to create disturbances.

If Indian apprehensions are correct, the east and northeast may present even greater challenges for Indian security agencies than does insurgency in Kashmir. If reports of India having increased its strength along the border with Bangladesh are correct, it may mean that India is already conscious of the dangers represented by ISI networks and its ambitions in the area. Since Pakistan does not have a border with India in the east, India may not even be able to denounce this in the familiar terminology of cross-border terrorism.

An wonderful post from a bangladeshi sweetheart

http://krishnochuramusings.blogspot.com/2008/06/proud-bangladeshi-in-pakistan-apko-kia.html

I’ve met people from different parts of the world and traveled to a few places myself. But never, not once, in any of my interactions or travels, have I ever come across a race of people who have made me feel so proud of my nationality: Bangladeshi. But then, I visited Pakistan. I was born in an independent Bangladesh. I’ve never had to struggle to get my voice heard, I was allowed to vote (till quite recently) and I’m allowed to speak my mind. Until my trip to Pakistan, I had never realized how precious all these things are. I had always regarded Pakistan, a distant country, as a bitter chapter in our history. But only after meeting the people did I realize how close we could be and how much my heritage means to them. Never before have I received so much respect for just being Bangladeshi.

Till quite recently, I had never visited Pakistan. Neither had my parents. Since the only Pakistanis I’d met belonged to the educated bourgeoisie class, I had assumed that it was only this select lot who were aware of the atrocities committed in 1971. I had always believed that most Pakistanis believed that Bangladeshis were Kafirs who had let India take them over and regarded us with disdain. Don’t ask me why I thought all of this or what explanation I have for my notions. My notions had stemmed from the prevalent attitude of our pro-liberation buddhijibis, who have, through their own glorifications of our War of Liberation, somehow equated patriotism as anti-Pakistani feeling and instilled that in some of us. In fact, I still know people who think that to be a true patriot you would have to hate Pakistan, with all its institutions and people. Our elders in Bangladesh, somehow always let us think that Pakistanis don’t care about Bangladesh. I’m not blaming them for my ill-conceived ideas. I was partly to blame for judging a whole race simply on the basis of the half-truths I had heard. I am not proud of what I thought. But my recent trip to Pakistan has made me feel proud of who I am and I am proud of my newly acquired views. Though I think that I now face the threat of being termed a ‘paki-lover’ or ‘Rajakar’, I am writing this because I think that our generation needs to know the other side of the story.

To be perfectly honest, upon our arrival at Islamabad, since the very first people we had met were bureaucrats, I didn’t buy into the whole “Pakistani-Bangladeshi bhai bhai” ideology they seemed to desperately convey to us. To me it seemed too forceful, too elaborate and too far removed from what we in Bangladesh have been led to believe about Pakistani attitude towards Bangladesh. If every shop-keeper, hotel-boy, porter, flight-attendant, bus-driver and almost everyone else I had met hadn’t echoed the same sentiments, I probably never would’ve believed that Pakistani people actually believe that we are still their brothers and they love us. It’s love that is rooted in our shared history, in our present day struggles to make our mark in this world, our efforts to rise above poverty and frustration at watching our neighbors grow at exponential rates as we combat the demons of corruption and bad governance.

“There are so many things we need to learn from Bangladesh. In fact, I personally think that your Caretaker Government system is very effective and we’re trying to emulate that”, an Additional Secretary told the ten-member media delegation from Bangladesh. Nothing was said, but their admiration for our achievements, including in establishing democracy and keeping it for 15 years, was apparent. In Karachi, an official of the Press Information Department under their Ministry of Information regaled the success of our homegrown micro-credit formula and it’s award-winning success. As far as the bureaucracy of Pakistan was concerned, everywhere we went we were greeted by praise and accolade. Even with 106 licensed private TV channels and 60 on-air channels, the Government of Pakistan marveled at how the journalists in Bangladesh are better trained and more sensitized. In a country where GEO News was closed down for violating State of Emergency rules, the Bangladeshi media received accolade from the Pakistani media for the courage demonstrated and the torture survived. In a media world now free of ‘press advise’ from intelligence agencies or foreign ministries, they marveled at the openness of our media. Peshawar Press Club gave the media delegates a reception and Express News threw a dinner. I am told that this is commonplace for all delegates from Bangladesh visiting Pakistan. But it most certainly wasn’t commonplace for me. No one had ever told me that this is how much respect these people have for us. All I have learnt from the learned, well-versed editors of our progressive newspapers is that Pakistan, the monsters who had killed our people in 1971 is now a failed nation. They forgot to mention the people of Pakistan, the warmth and hospitality they extend to all visiting Bangladeshis and the love and respect they still have for us. They never taught us how to help them or how to become friends with Pakistanis. Ulta, this was frowned upon. We weren’t told about how much they crave our friendship.

I had always believed that the atrocities committed in1971 by the Pakistani Military Hanadar Bahini, the genocide and the rapes would be a taboo topic for us in Pakistan. Taboo not just on the account us being invited by the Pakistan Government, but also because I had believed the Pakistani version of the events of 1971 to be different from ours. Therefore, you can imagine my shock when everyone I met mentioned our Liberation War (mind you, not the “Fall of Dhaka”) as ‘mistakes made by us in 1971, that shouldn’t have happened and we wish they hadn’t happened’. Rafe chacha, the man who drove our bus said to me, ‘beta, Bhutto ne jo kia, bohot galat kia. Mujhe to ootni talim bhi nahi hai, par itna to mujhe bhi pata hai’. Roughly translated, he meant that despite his lack of formal education, even he was aware of the atrocities committed by Bhutto (not just Yahya Khan, the executioner, but also the dictator) in 1971. Later on, he even explained to me how now that all of Pakistan is racially divided; they understand how Bangladesh must have felt. Rafe chacha even said to me how the people of Pakistan feel that political leadership in Bangladesh is much stronger than in Pakistan. ‘Benazir Bhutto jo thi, wo bhi zamindar ki beti thi. Oon ko kia pata k 3 din se mere ghar mei atta nahi hai. Aap k muluk mei to kitne acche admi hai, leaders hai. Humai aaj take k bhi sahi admi nahi mila. Aap ka jo dr.yunus hai, un ho ne garib o k barei mei socha, kuch kia. Humare yaha ek bhi aisa admi nahi mila’, he remorses. He said he echoed the sentiments of the rural working class who are always struggling to survive the repeated onslaughts of the political turmoil in the country. The ups and downs of power-play-who wins the elections or who looses, really never affects the common man. He knows that politics is not for him. He knows regardless of who wins the election, if there ever is one, at the end, he looses. Successive regimes have only helped to widen the rich and poor divide and people like Rafe chacha seek a program like micro-credit to improve their financial conditions. There are millions like Rafe chacha who would benefit from the models developed by our NGOs and civil society organizations that help the grassroots people. Even a PID official admitted that Sheikh Hasina is his favorite South Asian leader because she stands for the common man. The sectarian violence, the non-homogenous population and the increasing rich and poor divide has helped people like Rafe chacha and the likes of him realize and empathize with our plights pre-71. We, as Bangladeshis, as an independent, sovereign nation, with our certain successful social organization models are now in the capacity to help them and save them from the fate we had suffered.

“Baji aap Bangladesh se hai? Arre kia baat hai. Phir to aap hamare mehman hai. Aap ko kia pilau? Paani yia Cola? Aap meri puri dukan le jao koi masla nahi. Mehman hai aap humare’. I got tired of hearing these lines. I heard the same lines in Islamabad, in Murree, in Karachi and even in Peshawar. A pukhtun shopkeeper abandoned his shop in the evening, in a jomjomat bazaar just to show a few lost Bangladeshi journalists the way to another bazaar. In fact, the Pathans made these guys have dinner with them, saying that Bangladeshis were not just guests but brothers.I have never received so much love and respect anywhere else in the world, for simply being Bangladeshi. Everywhere I went, everyone I met, somehow managed to show this chit of a Bangladeshi girl, with her uncovered head and bare arms, an amazing display of camaraderie and respect. I really don’t know what I have in common with the man from Waziristan who dragged my luggage across the streets of Saddar in Peshawar or the teachers of Peshawar University who were going berserk trying to find an old picture of my grandfather which could’ve been anywhere in Pakistan. They didn’t have to do any of that. They are not answerable to any government, theirs or mine. They didn’t know me. They belong to a different nation, a different culture and an altogether different world. But somehow, they were able to relate to me before I could relate to them. They called me a sister even before I would consider them friends. They made the first move, they extended their hand of friendship and their love and hospitality. They gave me love because they believed that their leaders had wronged us in ’71, but we have survived and grown stronger, and more successful than them. We have greater literacy rates and more female participation in all sections of the socio-economic system. From Islamabad to Peshawar and in Karachi, all they gave us was love and respect and all they wanted from us was knowledge. They humbly expressed remorse for 1971 for the actions of the Pakistani military. In every action of theirs, I saw a call for help and solidarity. I felt that this nation, once so known to our forefathers, now completely alien to us, needs us to cooperate with them, help them up, just like one brother (even an estranged one) would help another. They made me feel strong and powerful. They made me feel proud of our achievements—all the things that we take for granted at home. This wasn’t the kind of pride you feel when you defeat another team in cricket or when you realize someone else is worse off than you. This was the first time in my life a foreign country and people, by their own good actions, had made me feel so proud of my Bangladeshi heritage.

In war-ravaged NWFP, where the local government is still struggling to accommodate the refugees, ensure minimum security and attain a minimum standard of living for its entire populace, we were perhaps best received. The governor of NWFP, Mr. Owais Ghani only reinstated Pakistan’s new attitude towards Bangladesh, ‘Let us not be prisoners of our past. Let us learn from our past and now look forward’.

In my humble opinion and still limited purview of the world, I feel that Bangladesh and our hard-earned independence have been vindicated. We have proven to Pakistan, home to our military oppressors and bloodthirsty dictator of 1971, that we have survived and we’ve only gotten better. Now, it’s time to show them just strong we are by sharing some of our strengths with them and helping them out in their struggles.

An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. If we now close our doors to Pakistan, we will be shutting out a friend. The people of Pakistan have nothing but respect for Bangladesh. They want to learn. They want to know. But what will be our call? Will we play into the hands of those who have used the sentiments of 1971 to progress their own vested interests or should we promote our inherently peaceful and progressive way of life to a nation that looks up at us with hope and an offer of friendship. Again, at the risk of being labeled, I dare suggest that perhaps, it’s time to call truce and move on. We will never forget 1971, but then taking pride in our history should not be analogous to hating the people of another country, who were also victims of their circumstances and military oppressors.

Bangladeshi Newspaper on Indian Hegemony

India wants hegemony over the region: says BD newspaper

A leading weekly newspaper of Bangladesh “The EkalerKatha” in its latest issue has strongly criticised India for its negative behaviour withneighbouring countries.The newspaper in its editorial said India extremely violates all norms of peaceful coexistence.In its June 17-23 issue, the weekly wrote, “Instead of coexistence withits neighbours with equal status and sovereignty India wants to forcibly realize submissive loyalty from its neigbours.”

India shows such attitude, as if, other sovereign countries of South Asian region will have to act on whatever India may dictate them to act and they will formulate their internal and external policies, even defence arrangements, according to India’s will and whims.”

The weekly says, India desires its neighbouring counties will obey and do whatever and whenever India asks them to do. “It means the expansionists of New Delhi will determine the extent of independence and sovereignty their neighbouring countries will enjoy,” it said.

Referring the recent comment of M K Narayanan, the weekly alleged, “India very recently bid to set such an example. India unjustifiably rebuked and scared Sri Lanka when she (Sri Lanka) expressed her desire to collect traditional, but effective, radars and other smaller equipments from Pakistan and China due to inability and failure of India-origin radars to detect air attacks of Tamil rebels.”

“Ignoring and reputing Sri Lanka’s sovereign and independent status, and violating all limits of shamelessness, M K Narayanan, India’s National Security Advisor, on May 13, 2007, thundered out like a so-called superpower declaring, “We are the big power in this region. Let us make it very clear. We strongly believe that whatever requirements the Sri Lankan government has, they should come to us. And we will give them what we think is necessary. We do not favour their going to China or Pakistan or any other country.

“M K Narayanan more nakedly said, we will not give such strong deterrents and arms to Sri Lanka that will ensure superiority of the Sri Lankan Armed forces over the Tamil guerrillas. It means, India wants to continue Sri Lanka’s war withthe Tamils so that India can sell arms bothto both the parties.”
The weekly asked, “In what power and sense India expresses its intention to impose such disgraceful and shameful precondition on Sri Lanka that she will not be able to collect arms from other sources according to her own requirements and policy.”

“India’s such audacious threatening is also an awful warning to other sovereign and independent nations of the region. If the adventurous and audacious precondition that India designs to impose on Sri Lankais not responded befittingly with equal tone, India will tomorrow dare to impose such preconditions on other counties of the region as well,” the weekly warned.

Referring to the urgency of defence factor among the neighbouring countries of India, the weekly suggested, “To deter India’s aggressive attitude, all other countries of the region immediately should form a strong forum with strong military might. It is imperative to develop such strong and effective defence arrangement, so that India does not dare to extend its paw on any country of the region.”
Moreover, to make international community aware of the situation, the issue must be raised in the international forums uncovering India’s hegemonic designs that may irk unrest and violence, even war in the region, the weekly warned.
“No nation having minimum sense of prestige will tolerate or consume such insulting deliberation. So it is the responsibility of the international community to take initiative to bridle the expansionist paw of India and compel India to shun her aggressive and hegemonic design so that no evil shadow can overcast the region. No country in the region will accept the roar of so-called big power, named India,” the weekly opined.

The daily said, the concerned countries of the region have already made it clear that they will not accept such bully in the region. “Sri Lankan government itself officially conveyed the message to India and all concerned that Sri Lanka reserves the freedom to acquire necessary and suitable equipments from wherever this was available, particularly in view of the fact India was unable to meet Sri Lanka’s perceived needs.””The spokesman of Pakistan Foreign Ministry said, Pakistan would not accept the hegemonic tendencies from any country in the region and added, the matter primarily for Sri Lanka to decide,” the weekly quoted Pakistan’s reaction.
The weekly said, India’s statement virtually questions India’s attitude and policy to its neighbouring countries. “It is hoped good sense will develop in the mindset of Indian leadership. India for her own interest will shun its expansionist mentality and attitude and follow the policy of peaceful coexistence.”
“Otherwise India will have to compensate heavy price for its policy,” the weekly cautioned and added, “India should keep it in mind, the independent nations of this region will never accept Indian supremacy, i.e., slavery under any circumstances.”

http://www.app.com.pk/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=11073&Itemid=2′

Contributed by Isha Khan, who can be reached at bdmailer@gmail.com

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T HE SHEIKH MUJIBUR RAHMAN of 1975 was not the Sheikh Mujibur Rahman of 1971. He squandered his unprecedented goodwill for two reasons. First, he could not meet the phenomenal expectations Bangladeshis had in his leadership. Lifschultz, who was based in Dhaka in 1974, remembers the day when Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Zulifikar Ali Bhutto, visited Bangladesh for the first time since its independence from Pakistan. As Bhutto’s motorcade moved from the airport into central Dhaka, a section of the crowd lining the street shouted, “Bhutto Zindabad (Long Live Bhutto).”

Salil Tripathi – Caravan Magazine

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Bangladeshis – a sweet wonderful people

I will never forgive the Pakistani authority for what they did to the wonderful people of bangladesh.  We Pakistanis love Bangladeshis. 

One of the best articles on www.rupeenews.com

angladeshis cheering for Pakistan during the Trination cricket map would put a tear in any Pakistani or Bangladeshi eye. The resonance of the cheering crowd told a story and informed the world that the Eastern and Western hearts throbbed on a the smae beat.

“Aik hooun Muslim”.. was the message in the sports events. This wasn’t just cricket…this was poetry, this was prose and this was a political statement in the middle of the summer.

The dumb and deaf Pakistan and Bangladeshi politicians did not hear the crods or the slogans…if they had they would hang their heads in shame and respond.

Those who thought that religion is not pertinent in South Asia need to think again. The pullulating thousands in the critricket ground and the milions all over Sonar Bangla watched the cricket match. This is not news. What is news is that the energetic Bangladeshi crowds–young and old, men and women, students and professionals…most of them cheered for Pakistan. While the Indian news media was busy editing the pictures of the crowds, and some government channels tried to break away for commercials during the most veciferious show of love and affection for Pakistan.

Bangldeshis cheering Pakistan to victory with huge Pakistani flags

Bangldeshis cheering Pakistan to victory with huge Pakistani flags

Salman Butts prostrates amid Allah Ho Akbar cheers. Salmans 100. Bangladeshis cheer for Pakistan

Salman Butts 100. Bangladeshis cheer for Pakistan

When Salman Butt completed his century and prostrated himself the entire stadum began chanting Allah Ho Akbar. The channels could not hide the sea of green, nor could they whitewah the pictures of the Crescent and Star. How could some they conceal the slogans of Pakistan Zindabad that resonated in the stadium during the match between India and Paksitan. Older Paksitanis will remember the 14th of August 1946.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=_LQFxjakfkc

The match told the world that on 14th August 1975 “secularism” was buried deep in Bay of Bengal by the brave soldiers of the Bangladesh Army. Bangladesh is as much part of the Muslim artery system as Pakistan and the rest of the Islamic world.

While the sports world watches the match in Dhaka for the scores, the bowling, the runs and the records, political scientists are watching the events in the stadium for the sign of times and the winds of change. 60 years ago the crowd would have cheered for Pakistan. 35 years ago, the corwd would have cheered for India. Today the crowd is once again cheering–the proud Bengali Muslims are cheering for the Crescent and Star.

The BNP and the JEI supporters booed the Indians, and the Awami Leaguers dare not to cheer the Indians.

Brohit Bangal, Greater Bangaldesh and Bangistan is inevitable!

THERE ARE NO PERMANENT SEPARATIONS IN SOUTH ASIA:

The audience at the cricket match showed that Bangladeshis have genuine feelings for Pakistan