Neighbour is better then Friend

Report by < ASHFAQ REHMANI >
Lahore – Pakistan

A, function was organised by an Organisation called India-Pakistan-UK Friendship Forum and Wish Art Foundation. This Forum was founded five years ago. I am General Secretary to the Wish Art Foundation. The purpose of this Forum was to increase understanding between the three different communities living in the PK-UK as well as to form a pressure group to influence the Governments of India and Pakistan to resolve the issues which have been contentious between the two countries and have resulted in three wars, continuous tension between the two countries, massive investment on the arsenals at the expense of the poorest of the poor, 25 million people living in India and about 2 million people living in Pakistan well below the poverty line. This Forum was formed with good intentions and draws a great deal of attention from the community.

On this very interesting night, many members of the House of Lords, Members of Parliament, Media from India and Pakistan and notable dignitaries from both communities attended this event in the Chalomondy Hall of the House of Lords, overlooking the River Thames. About 250 people enjoyed the sumptuous dinner. This event was also attended by the Head of British Armed Forces, General Sir David Richards, Advocate General, and Dominic Grieve.

The majority of the speeches remained around better relationship between India and Pakistan on the basis of the common language, common food, music and colour and culture.

In my speech I also mentioned that during my stay in England for more than 20 years, after Pakistanis, most of my friends are from Indian background due to the reasons mentioned above. I also believe in better relations between the two countries who share so much in common but I emphasised that without resolving the issues between the two countries, talking about friendship it is just like putting a plaster on a leg which has a compound comminuted fracture. If you do not do the proper treatment of a fracture the shine of the plaster is likely to last for only a few weeks with massive gangrene of the leg underneath.

I emphasised that Pakistan is spending US$5bn and India is spending US$32bn per year on the arsenal and this money can be better spent on the health and education of the poorest of the two countries. It was only one sentence which was disliked by our Indian friends and it erupted like a volcano and exposed all the claims of friendship from the Indian side. I only said that unless and until you resolve the issue of Kashmir the friendship cannot be established between the two countries. This was followed by aggressive speeches from Lord of Belfast, Lord Rana, Lord Popat and a few other Indian speakers.

I was particularly appalled with the comments which came from the Chairman of this Organisation, who was supposed to be an old friend of mine who always claims friendship and has always said that he was born in Gujranwala, the area which I represent in the Punjab Assembly.

At the end of this beautiful evening, I went home heavy hearted and started thinking that over the five years we have been meeting, sitting together, discussing friendship, but have not been able to create even a fraction of understanding and, unfortunately, have not created any tolerance.

I still feel that whatever the conclusion maybe that until and unless the issue of Kashmir is not resolved, a peaceful relationship between India and Pakistan can only be a dream.

As I said at the end of my speech, which was interrupted a few times, all of us should continue working for a better relationship between the two countries as both countries are likely to face a rather devastating situation as long as the growth of population and poverty is concerned. These two countries cannot afford to continue this rivalry. I also strongly support the idea of the Jang Group and efforts should continue from all sectors, including Journalists, Intellectuals, Professionals and Politicians to help resolve the disputed issues between the two countries.

I also emphasised in my speech that both countries have been looking towards any third mediator and now they should open their eyes after listening to the higher officials from the US Foreign Policy Office, that the current situation is not apt for the United States to act as a mediator between India and Pakistan to resolve any of the issues they have. The situation is even bitterer between Nirupama Rao; the Foreign Secretary of India said that Pakistan has been exporting terrorism for the last decade, whereas Pakistan believes that this is India’s indigenous problem.

I only and sincerely highlighted the severity of the misunderstanding and the disputes India and Pakistan have, but I could not understand the over-reaction by the friends of this Forum from Indian background and their continuous irritation.