Happy independence day to Pakistan

67 Years ago today, Pakistan was born. Indeed it was created out of the British India on August 14, 1947 and then the next day, August 15, 1947 India got her independence.  

As a Pluralist, I have always worked on the concept that we all belong to the same family of Nations.  Back in 1993, I started a Newspaper called Asian News, with a page each dedicated to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. 

In 1996, I started Asian News Radio, which continues today as Fun Asia Radio. A few years later when Rehan Siddiqi took over the radio to 24/7 programming,  I continued to do different programs, and one of them was during the month of August, from the 1^st through 15^th  I  shared a different aspect of the subcontinent from the cultural, geographic, ethnic, cuisine, clothing, singing to politics to national heroes of the nations.

What remains nostalgic to me was August 14^th and 15^th – on that day I took live calls asking Indians to sing the Pakistani national songs, and it was amazing so many Indians had learned the songs, and vice versa happened on the 15^th, our Pakistani friends sang Indian national songs.

The Partition was difficult and intense - with people moving from one land to the other and vice versa, perhaps it was the greatest human migration in a single week ever. Of course it came with massive suffering - people killing and butchering each other on both sides. Unless we both people learn to acknowledge that the suffering and infliction of misery was mutual, we will continue to harbor ill-will and inject that in our kids. Some people live with hate and ill-will until they die and never receive the true freedom.  I hope we all grow up and not carry this forward or run the sewer of hate in our kid’s veins.

I wish a very happy independence day to both the Pakistani and Indian friends. As an Indian, I will do my own celebrations, reflecting on what I can do to contribute towards the wellbeing of my motherland: India.

Jinnah's speech on August 14, 1947: http://www.pakistani.org/pakistan/legislation/constituent_address_11aug1947.html

Pakistan Paindabad !

Mike Ghouse is a public speaker, thinker, writer and a commentator on Pluralism at work place, politics, religion, society, gender, race, culture, ethnicity, food and foreign policy. All about him is listed in several links at www.MikeGhouse.net and his writings are at www.TheGhousediary.com and 10 other blogs. He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day.