Rabia Ali talks to students and young professionals around the country about their views on Pakistan-India relations
Gullalai Khan, 24-year-old, student, Khyber Medical College, Peshawar
“As a medical student I feel that it is extremely vital that the two countries bury the hatchet, and work together in the field of medicine. As India is very much ahead of us in terms of medical research, our practitioners and students can benefit greatly from their Indian counterparts, and maybe make a breakthrough by developing cures for those diseases which don’t have any at the moment.”
Alishay Adnan, 17-year-old, A-level student, The Lyceum School, Karachi
“Everyone knows that the Pakistani youth is simply crazy after Bollywood stars and movies. Every week, I and my friends go to the cinema to watch the latest Indian flick, and our bedroom walls have posters of Salman Khan and Hrithik Roshan pinned on them. Our mothers love to watch Indian dramas and our fathers like to delve in the past by watching old movies of Amitabh Bachan. We definitely need to be on friendly terms with India so that their actors can come to Pakistan and see for themselves the love and respect we have for them, and also to boost up our entertainment industry by acting in our plays and movies.”
Haya Fatima, 22-year-old, Masters student, Mass Communication, Karachi University
“Pakistan needs to be friends with India as we are facing a dire water shortage, and will continue to do so if relations between the two don’t flourish. All our major rivers pass through areas either owned or occupied by India; therefore it is extremely important that Pakistan is on friendly terms with India.”
Mariam Ahmed, 23, MBA Marketing student, Foundation of Advancement of Science and Technology-National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences (FAST-NU), Islamabad
“I wasn’t born when Pakistan got independence in 1947, or when the 1965 war took place. I opened my eyes when the relations between the two were hostile, and continue to be till this day. It amazes me that despite having the same culture, the same roots and even the same language, two nations which shared a history together are considered to be arch-rivals today.”
Danish Iqbal, 25, software test engineer, Mazik Pakistan (software house) Karachi
“India is far ahead of us in every sector. This includes the field of Information Technology (I.T). While Indian companies like Sonata deal directly with the software giant Microsoft, no Pakistani company has any direct linkage with them. Therefore, Pakistan needs to be friendly with India so that all our industries can prosper in the global market.”
Hamza Tariq, 21-year-old, student of BSc (Hons) Economics, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Lahore
“Instead of letting differences harm both the countries, we should rather let what is common between us help in building an environment in which both can proper. It is important to release that economic efficiency is the most powerful tool today, and by having friendly relations, we can build a huge market in this region just like the European Union.”
Gaffar Mahmad, 19, cricketer, Turbat
“Pakistanis are as fanatical about cricket as Indians are. Isn’t that a reason enough that Pakistan needs India as a friendly neighbor? Cricket here is worshipped as much as it is in India. Every other house has a cricketer breeding in it. It is no hidden fact that in every cricket tournament, the biggest match is between the two countries. I would love to play in India, and would be ecstatic if they came to play in our homeland.”
Saad Mansoor, 22, Senior Accountant Trainee, Ernst and Young, Karachi
“If we want to be a truly democratic power, then we need to find partners in the democratic countries of the world. That list, it so happens, has India at its top, therefore, it is important that Pakistan has cordial relations with its neighbor.”
Huma Iqbal, 25-year-old, Editorial Coordinator, South Asia Magazine, Karachi
“Pakistan has to start making important strategic partners if not safe neighborhoods. The bilateral tie is very important for peace and stability in the region, for the settlement of the Kashmir Issue, for controversies regarding the dams, for the growing Indian economy, and most importantly for the new strategic nuclear partnership of India with the United States.”
Saif Rashid, 19, student Mechanical Engineering, Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences, Topi, NWFP
“Instead of accusing one another for hatching terrorist attacks on each other’s soil, we need to work together to fight against militants. Sadly, there have been several times when both governments came to the brink of war. Being nuclear-armed, we need to act sensibly as the peace of the entire region is dependent on us.”
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