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.
Here at All Things Pakistan, we have carried a special post on this day every year.
Very consciously, the posts we have carried on this day over the last three years form a trilogy of imagery: our post in 2006 sought to revisit our imagery of our past (here), in 2007 we highlighted the changing imagery of India-Pakistan relations in the present (here), and in 2008 we called upon our readers to re-imagine our visions of the future (here).
We would urge our readers to please revisit these posts if you have a few moments before you read on (click on the three images above, or here, here and here).
In very real ways, it is the image of the past, present and future of our mutual relations that have always and will always define how we view each other. Let me, then, simply repeat excerpts from this trilogy of posts on how I choose to view these images.
Here, then, is just a part of what I wrote three years ago (read full post here):
As a Pakistani I am in debt of Mr. Gandhi for the stand he took in trying to halt the horrible carnage that followed partition. Paying the ultimate price for that stand. My understanding is that the very first time ever that the Pakistan flag officially flew at half-mast was at Gandhi ji’s death. All government offices in Paksitan were closed in mourning of Mr. Gandhi’s death.
Mr. Gandhi probably disliked the idea of Pakistan more than any other Indian political leader; because he could not bear seeing his beloved India divided. On that bit, I disagree with him. But, once the deed was done he also recognized that the death and violence which followed was too high a price to pay for that disagreement. So much so that he was willing to put his own life on the line and go on hunger strike to stop the carnage. For that alone, I will always respect and admire him.”
But we can remain in the past for only that long. My post two years ago revolved around two pictures: young girls with flags of both India and Pakistan painted on their faces. These faces were images of hope and aspiration to me. Hope and aspiration that was worth celebrating. This is part of what I wrote two years ago (read full post here):
My post last year was again based on a particular photograph. Men in uniform – border guards at that – embracing and exchanging mithai. Symbolic it may be, bt how poignantly symbolic. I have updated that picture from the same ceremony at Wagah this year. Here is part of what I wrote one year ago (read full post here):
Tomorrow matters. And actions on both sides of the border today will determine what our tomorrows will look like. Our shared goal must be to create a tomorrow that is peaceful. A tomorrow that is just. A tomorrow that is friendly. A tomorrow that is prosperous. For both of us.”
Today, the fourth time I write this post, my image of the past, by sense of the present and my aspirations for the future remain what they were then. Sincerest Independence Day greetings to India today.
May the best hopes of both Mr. Jinnah and Mr. Gandhi come true for both our nations. May all our futures be good futures.
I don’t think that wishing Indians on their independence day is not good…coz am at UK and in my university all my friends(girls) are indians… and they r easily ready to give anything to Pakistani’s…is leay aapas mien is baat per na larro yahan per kai logon ka bhala ho raha hay…hehehehehehe
Re-reading the posts for 2006 and 2007, I came across Bhupinder’s comparisons and analysis of the the speeches that Nehru and Jinnah gave on the occasion of Independence. I read the speeches aloud to an Arab friend whose first commented on something I just took for granted……the speeches were both delivered in excellent English !
Thank yo for this nice post. Loved reading it. Loved going through all the three posts in sequence, specially the very first one that you linked.
By the way, maybe you should have have repeated the para at the end of the first post about what your grandmother told you :-)
I was also sad to read the comments on this on the Facebook page.
It is both funny and sad, as someone said that, that there are so many who thinks they are BETTER Pakistanis and more patriotic than even the Quaid i Azam. Some people on both sides are so soaked in hatred and so unsure about themselves that they can only define their own patriotism by making it against someone else. We use words like ‘hate’ and ‘enemy’ too easily and we have to learn how to stop doing that.
I am quite sure that Quaid i Azam and Gandhi did not agree with each other but they would never say they HATED each other nor would they evn think of each other as ENEMIES. Unfortuantely too many shallow and insecure people in both countries now do.
Who said it was right, patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel.
adeel
How beautiful will b d indo-pak if all starts thinking like u brother.