Owais Mughal and Adil Najam
Today is August 15.
India’s Independence Day.
ATP sends all Indians sincere and heartfelt Independence Day greetings and the very best wishes. We pray for a peaceful and prosperous future for both countries. May our futures be defined by friendship, mutual respect, and prosperity.
Last year we had expressed similar sentiments by presenting some pictures from the past. This time we wish to share some images from the present. These pictures, we believe, are equally poignant and even more relevant to our shared futures. The first image is from Lahore, Pakistan. The second from Ahmedabad, India.
These young and pretty faces are the custodians of our shared dreams. May they always smile. May they always smile together.
Both India and Pakistan are paying a heavy price in the millions lives of the poor and hungry lost every year because of their misguided pursuit of the illusion of democracy that has perpetuated the worst possible governance in South Asia for decades.
Chinese, on the other hand, have saved millions of lives each year since the revolution that occurred after India and Pakistan became independent. Other East Asians, particularly ASEAN nations of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, have also pulled far ahead of India and Pakistan.
Malnutrition, hunger and disease claims over 2 million children
Happy Independence Day to All Indian Friends.
Have a great day and many more.
Greetings India on your Independence Day.
May we both learn to live with each other and to accept each other as we are.
My best wishes are with all Indians on this day today.
Happy Pakistan and India Day…2 all indians and pakistanis…may v have peace in both countries…
@ Baber
I am a recent visitor (and and ardent admirer) of ATP and got hooked to it only recently. Have been enjoying the past postings these last few days and therefore saw your post (Faraz’s poem) more than 17 months after it was posted.
I must confess I was a little depressed till I read your poem since some of the previous posts from Pakistani side had mentioned that they resented any attempt from the Indians to even suggest we could be one again.
I personally have never suggested a re-union of India and Pakistan but am a dreamer and hope some day the Punjabis from both sides can travel freely accross the border (like the countries of European Union).
Your post of the poem brought a lump in my throat when I read the last line.
This desi in the far of land (America) would gladly like to grab your outstreched hand with both of mine.
I wish to end this post with another poem from the same great man:
Dreams do not die.
Dreams are not hearts, nor eyes or breath
Which shattered, will scatter (or)
Die with the death of the body.
Dreams do not die.
Dreams are light, voice, wind,
Which can not be stopped by mountains black,
Which do not burn in the hells of cruelty,
Ensigns of light and voice and wind, they
Bow not, even in graveyards.
Dreams are letters,
Dreams are illumination,
Dreams are Socrates,
Dreams are Mansur!’
Ahmed Faraz
Wish you also a happy (belated) Independence day my friend.