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Passage to
Pakistan
Pakistan
today presents a picture of prosperity and neglect,
battered human emotions, conflicting cultural bonds,
sectarian upsurge and scattered western influence,
says Amardeep Bhattal
INDO-PAK relations witnessed a
dramatic turnround in the spring of 1999. Prime Minister
Atal Behari Vajpayees famous bus ride to Lahore was
seen as a turning point in the history of the two
nations. Visa relaxations, mutual exchanges and other
sporting gestures were all pointers in this direction.
Healthy contests in the arena of sports helped further
cement the ties.
However, the gains of the Lahore
Declaration were put on hold by the Kargil conflict. As
casualties mounted, the hate campaign was back and social
ties were snapped. Now, after the army coup, Pakistan
faces another spell of internal strife and uncertainty.
Ever since Partition,
mutual distrust between successive governments hampered
free flow of information. But one thing which was
becoming increasingly clear over the years was that the
younger generation was showing greater understanding of
the problems, brushing aside bitter memories. Ustaad
Damans couplet on the 1947 holocaust Akhiyan Di
Lali Dasdi Hai, Roye Tusin Vi Si, Roye Asin Vi . . .
rang in the ears of the new generation. Human suffering,
after all, had been the same on either side, hadnt
it?
Pakistan today presents
a picture of prosperity and neglect, battered human
emotions, conflicting cultural bonds, sectarian upsurge
and scattered western influence. The rich-poor gap seems
to have widened, the trauma of Partition lingers; and
sectarian violence in certain pockets has made life
difficult.
Though strictly an
Islamic state, Pakistan does have a lot in common with
India. This is especially true in respect of the two
Punjabs West and East which suffered the
most during Partition. The country has a large number of
religious converts as the Partition not only forced
migration of population on religious grounds but also led
to division of families. While some members of joint
families preferred not to shift, other members of same
households opted to cross over into Jinnahs land.
Meet Liaqat Ali, a
prosperous businessman of Lahore, who was actually born
in a Sikh household in Punjabs Gurdaspur district.
His grandfather was Budha Singh. At the time of
Partition, he shifted his family to Lahore and assumed
the new name of Budha Khan. His son became Mian Mohammed
Sadiq, who was Liaqat Alis father.
It was a chance meeting
outside the National Hockey Stadium in Lahore that
brought us face to face. Having noticed a stockily-built
man in Pathani suit waving at me, I stopped to inquire.
Carrying a mobile phone, he covered the short distance at
brisk pace to inquire where I was from. On being told
that I was from Indias Punjab, a small sigh brought
to the fore a peculiar feeling of sadness. "I too
was born in a Sikh household, but now I am a devout
Muslim. My name is Liaqat Ali," he said politely.
My
father-in-laws father, Mr Anant Ram, was a Hindu
who also served as a tehsildar in Lahore, he
further explained. After enquiring about the purpose of
my visit and getting to know that I was a journalist, he
became more friendly. He informed me about his
flourishing business, about his sons Mohammed Ali and
Mohammed Omar who were students and about his residence
in Gulshan Iqbal. Allah has been very kind. He has given
me everything and we enjoy all comforts of life, but . .
. "He heaved another sigh before continuing,"
my earnest desire is to visit my ancestral village in
Gurdaspur and meet my kin, who, I believe, are Sikhs. My
grandfathers brothers and their families are still
there. It is this feeling of separation which haunts me
at times," Liaqat said while switching on his cell
phone to inform his family about his delayed arrival. He
then accompanied me to my hotel, stopping on the way at
the historic Gurdwara Dera Sahib, the place where the
fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan Dev, was martyred.
Liaqat made it a point
to accompany me inside the holy shrine with his head
covered. Together with a sewadar who appeared to
be a Peshawari Sikh, we also went to Maharaja Ranjit
Singhs samadhi located within the same
complex. While returning, Liaqat ushered me into a
wayside restaurant where he treated me to a Lahori dish,
a speciality of the region.
Being a guest in Lahore
is indeed a privilege. The historic citys zindadili
and mehman nawazi have to be experienced to be
believed. Every strata of society, from the petty
shopkeeper to the top bureaucrat is willing to
accommodate you, especially if you are from Punjab. Tusin
sade mehman ho. . is the most commonly used
expression. Many a shopkeeper will not bargain; he will
accept whatever is offered. There are others who are
willing not to charge anything. At times even fellow
customers budge in to remind them of the age-old
tradition of honouring guests.
A day prior to my
departure, I ventured out in search of the building which
housed the office of The Tribune before Partition.
The hotel receptionist had informed me about its location
near Mayo Hospital. The driver who took me there was in
fact an embodiment of Lahores zinda dili.
Lame in one leg with the bitter struggle for existence
showing upon his health, the illiterate Muneer Ahmed made
brief stops to show me places of historical importance.
On the way, he burst into lively Punjabi folk songs sung
by Indian artistes like Hoya ki je kuri en toon Dilli
shahar di, main vi Jatt Ludhiane da. . . " Making
money, it seemed, was not the only concern of Ahmed.
Cultural bonds between
East and West Punjab have withstood the test of times.
The dholis and nagoza players across the
border are the same as those in the Indian Punjab. People
still take pride in singing the ageold bolis or
folk songs. The language spoken is also the same except
for minor variations. People belonging to the older
generation have fond memories of their hearths and homes
which they left behind in East Punjab. I remember having
met Maula Baksh, a tall, stout-looking man in his late
sixties, sitting behind the driving wheel of a Pepsi
delivery van. Seeing me standing on the road in Liberty
Market, he offered to drop me at the PIA office which I
planned to visit. Sitting alongside was his boss to whom
I was introduced before Maula Baksh started telling me
about his short stint in West Asia as a driver with a
multinational firm where he enjoyed the company of a few
Punjabi colleagues from India. Later Maula Baksh was
overwhelmed with joy on knowing that I belonged to the
area where he had actually spent his childhood. Turning
to his boss, he fondly recollected his visits to the
Roshnifair at Jagraon in Ludhiana district
with his parents before Partition. Overtaken by nostalgic
feelings he broke into the traditional boli
Aari, Aari, Pind Jagrawan De Vich Lagdi Roshni Bhari,
Bailiyan Da Katth Ho Gaya. . Despite his old age,
Maula possessed a youthful spirit which his boss seemed
to appreciate.
Like the older generation, which actually
underwent the trauma in 1947, the youngsters are also
aware of their roots in India. Social get-togethers
provide them an opportunity to discuss about their
ancestral homes and all that their ancestors left behind
in India. A group of youngsters, who were mostly related
to each other, met me at Imran Khans shopping
plaza, Pace, and enquired about my home district. On
learning that I was from Ludhiana, they were thrilled and
informed me that their ancestral village was Barundi and
expressed a keen desire to visit the village of their
forefathers. Another young boy, Majid Khan, who sat
through with me at the Lahore International Airport to
give me company, was eager to know more about Jalandhar
and the locality where his father lived. Mohammed Afzal,
owner of a jewellery showroom in the posh Gulberg area of
Lahore, who was born in Batala, fondly remembered the
days when young boys would assemble for wrestling bouts
in his village.
Due to strong cultural
bonds and a common language, Indian films and music
cassettes are in great demand in Lahore and elsewhere.
Although Pakistani Punjabi pop star Abrar-ul-Haque, whose
cassettes Majajani and Billo have been
great hits, is very popular, yet Indian pop star Daler
Mehdi is not far behind on the popularity chart. In fact
a group of youngsters who accosted me near Qaddaffi
Stadium urged me to convey their salaam to Daler
whom they held in great esteem. Dalers cassettes
were played in different music shops to attract
customers.
Although the Islamic
republic of Pakistan became an independent state on
August 14, 1947, the pace of industrialisation has
remained rather sluggish. At the time of its birth
Pakistan had very little industry. The light industry,
including manufacture of sports goods, was confined to
Lahore and Punjab while Montgomery and Lyallpur had some
cotton-processing units.
Light engineering, port
and steel industry was confined to Karachi. But on the
whole, the industrial economy was largely dependent on
processing of agricultural products.
Ever since the Pakistan
Industrial Development Board made capital available for
investment, industrial activity has gained momentum.
Encouragement of private enterprise by successive
governments provided a further boost and today over 500,
000 workers are dependent on the manufacturing industry.
The port city of Karachi dominates industrial activity in
the south, with Lahore, Faisalabad and Multan being
secondary centres. Nearly 40 per cent of jobs available
are in the textile industry. The integrated steel mill at
Pipri adds to Sinds industrial importance.
Multinational investment
in the fertiliser industry started in the sixties mainly
from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf. There are several big
plants at Mianwali, Faisalabad, Multan and Sukkur. The
national oil refinery at Karachi has a capacity of 5m
tonne. Natural gas is by far the most important resource
which not only meets growing energy needs but also
provides raw material for the fertiliser industry.
Agriculture still plays
a dominant role in Pakistans economy. Wheat
accounts for more than half the 12 million ha of
cultivated land. It is the staple crop, vital to a diet
based on chappatis, naans and paranthas.
Rice, particularly the basmati brand, is
increasingly becoming an earner of foreign exchange.
Pakistani cuisine has much in common with north Indian
food. Kababs, koftas, tikkas, dals, and desserts
like khir, kulfi and firni besides halwas
and barfi are all familiar stuff. Boondu Khan, the
famous eating joint in the posh Liberty area of Lahore
serves all such delicacies steaming hot in traditional
style although the citys elite prefer to visit the
MacDonalds or Kentucky outlets.
Lahore as well as other
major cities boast of some of the most modern shopping
plazas. One particular plaza in Lahore is Imran
Khans Pace where one can buy virtually anything
under one roof. Fitted with elevators and all modern
gadgets, Pace resembles any plaza of the west.
Lahore also has several
places of historical importance, including the Badshahi
Mosque built by Aurangzeb, the Lahore Fort where Prime
Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee was feted, Gurdwara Dera
Sahib adjoining the fort where Guru Arjan Dev was
martyred, the Minar-e-Pakistan, Maharaja Ranjit
Singhs samadhi, the Anarkali Bazar with its
fascinating alleyways, the Lahore Central Museum with its
rich collection of Gandharan sculptures, and the Shalimar
Gardens.
In front of the Lahore
Central Museum on The Mall, now known as the
Shahrah-e-Qaid-e-Azam, stands the majestic Kims
Canyon, popularly known as Bhangiyan wali top
which incidentally became a symbol of the Sikh Empire
after Maharaja Ranjit Singh obtained it in 1802.
The gun was originally
made in Kabul in 1757 AD and it was used by Ahmed Shah
Abdali in the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761. Cast out
of brass and copper, the gun was badly damaged in Multan
before it was finally brought to Lahore where Rudyard
Kipling , who lived and worked in the city, made it
famous in his book Kim. It was after the
Anglo-Sikh battle in Firuzshah in 1845 that the gun came
into the possession of the British. When the Duke of
Edinburgh visited Lahore in 1870, the gun was placed
opposite the gate of the museum where it has remained
ever since.
Lahore also preserves
many landmarks of the pre-Partition era. Among these are
Government College, Panjab University, and the King
Edward Medical College. Government College, Lahore, with
its Gothic structure at a raised level is easily the most
important landmark. The only notable change on the campus
after Partition has been the construction of a mosque
near the old cycle stand. The old Panjab University
campus with its arches and tall palm trees is also an
attraction for visitors. The King Edward Medical College
close to Anarkali Bazar still retains some of the old
names like Patiala Block.
A number of old
structures still exist on Nisbet Road. These include the
Dyal Singh Library which incidentally happens to be the
most important surviving landmark. A little further down
is the old building which once housed the office of The
Tribune near Mayo Hospital. A property of the
National Press Trust, the building is now in disuse after
having housed the office of the Pakistan Times after
Partition.
Pakistans
population, at present, is roughly 118 million and an
overwhelming 97 per cent of the people are Muslims. The
minorities, including Christians, Sikhs, and Hindus are
only a small fraction. While the Christian community is
scattered all over , the small Sikh population is largely
concentrated in the North West Frontier Province,
especially in its capital Peshawar, where a Khalsa school
at Gurdwara Joga Singh has been successfully running for
decades. The Peshawari Sikhs can also be seen at various
Sikh shrines in Pakistan like Gurdwara Panja Sahib or
Gurdwara Dera Sahib, where as employees of the Wakf
Board, they are deployed as sewadars. A few Hindus
are also employees of the Wakf Board. In Panja Sahib at
Hasan Abdal, while two sewadars Harinder
Singh and Partap Singh are Sikhs, the third , Gopi Chand
, is a Hindu. The head priest is Bhai Inder Singh.
Marrying foreigners is a
modern trend in Pakistan. While some prefer matrimonial
alliances with Europeans to enhance business interests,
for others it is simply a matter of the heart. For
instance, Tanvir Ahmed, who owns a flourishing business
in Lahore, is married to a German and the couple
frequently shuttles between Lahore and Stuttgart in
connection with their business.
Similarly, at
Rawalpindi, I met a Belgian citizen who had married a
Pakistani girl.
Successive Pakistan
rulers have left behind important landmarks which attract
worldwide attention. While the late General Zia-ul-Haq is
credited with having got the Shah Faisal Mosque
constructed at Islamabad during his reign with active
assistance from the Saudi Arabian King, Shah Faisal,
deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif got the famous
Rawalpindi-Lahore motorway completed with assistance from
Daewoo.
The Shah Faisal Mosque
is an architectural wonder. With the terraced garden of
Daman-e-Koh on the Margalla Hills forming the backdrop,
the white mosque designed by a Turkish is one of the
largest in the world. It can accommodate 100, 000
worshippers at one time. The main prayer hall is a
tent-like structure with eight faces rising to 40 metres.
There is no pillar to support the ceiling and the
complete structure was lifted by cranes and placed at the
present site. The minarets, which are 88 metres in
height, resemble rockets. At night when the lights within
are switched on , the minarets present a unique
spectacle. Behind the mosque is a grove of pine trees
which add to the serenity of the surroundings. The
Islamic Research Centre, a library, restaurant, museum,
Press Centre, and lecture hall are part of the sprawling
complex.
Being a city of
bureaucrats, Islamabad is well maintained. The roads are
smooth and clean and the markets attractive. Some of the
shops with brilliantly illuminated neon signboards remain
open till midnight. The adjoining city of Rawalpindi
being a cantonment also presents a neat look. The vast
expanse of greenery at the Ayub Park, which incidentally
is the largest park in Pakistan, attracts people from
far. Among other important landmarks are the Rawalpindi
Polo Club and St. Pauls Church on The Mall.
The Rawalpindi-Lahore
motorway is the brainchild of deposed Prime Minister
Nawaz Sharif. Built by the Korean firm Daewoo, in
collaboration with the Pakistan Highway Authority at an
estimated cost of Rs 390 billion, the motorway is the
pride of the nation. It was thrown open to traffic last
year. The motorway is double tracked for up and down
traffic and each track comprises three lanes. The entire
stretch of 365 k. m. is fenced on either side to keep
away wild animals and cattle. The speed limit being 100
km per hour, vehicle owners prefer this route although
the distance via the national highway is only 285 km.
Stopping on the motorway is prohibited, except in
emergencies. Jumping the fence is also punishable but to
facilitate movement of villagers from one side to the
other, overhead bridges have been constructed at regular
intervals.
Work on the motorway had
come to a standstill during Benazir Bhuttos reign.
Nawaz Sharif, who got the project completed, had also
chalked out plans for more such motorways but with his
ouster, the schemes may remain in limbo.
Although Pakistan has a
total area of 796, 000 sq km, only 30 per cent of the
population lives in urban areas. It is this segment which
has reaped the benefits of development. As such the
urban-rural gap has widened. While imported cars like
Toyotas are a common sight in posh urban localities, the
average farmer still plies the bullock-cart on dusty
village paths, although the more affluent also possess
tractors. In certain areas like the arid hills of the
west , the traditional karez system of irrigation
is still in vogue.
The lopsided
development, together with related issues like corruption
have always remained dominant factors in Pakistans
politics. Successive regimes have been unable to gain
firm control as discontentment keeps simmering in
different regions. Be it Benazir or Sharif, none of the
former duly-elected rulers could claim to have provided
fair governance to the satisfaction of all provinces.
Charges of corruption against government servants,
money-laundering by high-ranking politicians and
misutilisation of funds played a major role in erosion of
public trust in successive regimes. Hence the low key
reaction within to Nawaz Sharifs ouster came as no
surprise.
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