Guest Post | Despite diplomatic frostiness, Indians and Pakistanis continue to reunite at various platforms
Continued fractures in the bilateral relations between the two rival neighbours haven't stopped people-to-people contacts. This must continue for the good of both.
Guest author: Tridivesh Singh Maini, researcher and writer based in New Delhi.
As both India and Pakistan get ready to commemorate the 75th year of independence and the Partition, some interesting developments have taken place in recent months with regard to people-to-people linkages between both countries.
These have happened despite political ties between the two countries remaining largely strained, as was evident from the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers’ Council meeting where there was no bilateral meeting between the Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers.
First, hundreds of separated families have been reunited at Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur (Narowal) – the final resting place of the founder of the Sikh faith Guru Nanak – through the Kartarpur Religious Corridor, which connects Dera Baba Nanak in Indian Panjab with Darbar Sahib in Narowal (Pakistan Panjab).
A Youtube channel, Punjabi lehar (this was originally started as a Facebook channel), which has been interviewing survivors on both sides, made these reunions possible.
Second, in spite of the tensions between both countries, Hindu and Sikh pilgrims from India have been issued visas to pay obeisance at religious shrines in Pakistan, while pilgrims from Pakistan were issued visas to India.
Only last month, a 90 year old woman, Reena Chibber Verma, was able to visit her ancestral home in Rawalpindi after her message on social media was seen by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar.
Verma’s visa had been rejected by the Pakistan High Commission in India on earlier occasions. She received a warm welcome and her visit was covered extensively by the media on both sides.
Further, the Indian and Pakistani cricket teams will be playing each other in the UAE later this month. If last year’s encounter is any indicator, the contest is likely to be interesting, but bereft of hostility. Then cricket captain, Virat Kohli had congratulated his counterpart Babar Azam.
Last month, Azam came out in support of Kohli during India’s England tour, after the latter hit a lean patch.
There is also talk of Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, meeting with his counterpart, Shehbaz Sharif, on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Samarkand in September. It remains to be seen if this meeting goes ahead, and if it does, whether both sides can build on some of the renewed people-to-people linkages.
While events of the past few months may not be getting much attention, there is great scope for people-to-people contacts to flourish between both countries without media hype, and to resume trade relations via the Wagah-Attari land route. Such a step would benefit the Pakistani consumer and the economy of the border belt of Indian Panjab.
It is also important to ease out regulations for not just religious pilgrims, but also people over a certain age who want to see their erstwhile homes. While it is important to be realistic and not expect change overnight, it is important also to not be pessimistic and to recognise the role of civil society in bringing the people of both countries together.
The author can be reached at tridivesh80@hotmail.com.