The Punjabi touch
Posted by Balvinder Singh S Bal on Thursday, 2/05/2004 1:45 AM MST

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_557762,00120002.htm The Punjabi touch Imtiaz Alam February 3 If Punjabis on both sides of the border take the front seat in the Indo-Pak peace process, they can provide a sound edifice for a cooperative relationship between the two countries. The visit of Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to Lahore on the occasion of the 9th World Punjabi Congress added a touch of warmth to the ongoing Indo-Pak peace process. Poetic exuberance, nostalgia for Punjab as it once was, a yearning for a common Punjabi inheritance coupled with an emphasis on common language and culture dominated the conference. What can be the role of Punjab in the context of Indo-Pak relations and a broader South Asian affinity? Essentially, it was Punjab and Bengal, besides Kashmir, that paid the price for Partition. The unprecedented ethno-religious cleansing that accompanied the partition left such deep scars in the memories of the two sides that it continued to fuel enmity between India and Pakistan for decades. Yet, the Punjabis of the two countries now yearn for friendship. Given the processes of assimilations that have come into play to set different directions for the two Punjabs under the hegemony of two Nation-States — Pakistan and India — the sentiment for communion by erasing the dividing line, argued by Amarinder Singh, and sharply defended by Chaudhary Pervaiz Elahi, chief minister on the Pakistan side, provide food for thought. Punjab on the Indian side has been further divided into three states. Although the Sikhs, who form the majority of Punjab, felt alienated and an isolated section even raised the banner of ‘Khalistan’, they have been well integrated into the Indian Union. Producing much of the grain, they are now at the threshold of taking a leap in industrial development and are in search of more accessible markets and cost-effective businesses, such as with Pakistan. Moreover, Lahore, the historical and cultural capital of undivided Punjab, as well as the ethno-lingual, cultural and psychological routes pulls all Punjabis to the Pakistan side. Most sacred temples and shrines of the Sikh religion, including that of Guru Nanak’s, are situated here. In fact, all great Punjabi poets, including Baba Farid Shakarganj, Baba Nanak, Bulleh Shah, Waris Shah and others, belong to Pakistan. And few know that Hazrat Mian Mir (laid to rest in Lahore) laid the foundation stone for the Golden Temple. On the Pakistan side, the Punjabis have been the greatest beneficiaries of the Partition. Punjab here is the dominating province by virtue of its size and share in the economy. Unlike their brethren in India, they bartered away their language, in favour of Urdu, and cultural identity, in favour of a Pakistani identity, in return for greater political and economic appropriation beyond their province. By substituting the two-nation theory with the ‘ideology of Pakistan’, the Punjabis, along with the Urdu-speaking Mohajirs, formed the axis of power in Pakistan. They, too, are now looking forward to greater links with India. The Punjabi business community feels mature enough to put the past enmity behind it in favour of greater cooperation without, however, losing sight of the interests of a Nation-State that determine their increasingly rational attitude. Instead of aspiring to revive what was long shattered (the Punjabi nationhood), which is quite offensive to the integrity of two Nation-States, the Punjabis on both sides can cooperate on countless spheres, including cultural and economic sectors, without causing jitters in New Delhi and Islamabad. A revival of the Punjabi fraternity, promotion of cultural and linguistic relations, greater economic cooperation, especially in agriculture and power-generation, border trade and tourism are the areas where the two Punjabs can provide a lead. Since, in the Indo-Pak conflict, the Punjabis played a leading role, if they take the front seat in the peace process they can provide a sound edifice for a cooperative relationship between the two countries and help resolve outstanding disputes. The visa regime will have to be relaxed between the two Punjabs. Cultural, youth, sports, educational and media exchanges must be allowed in an easier way. Special posts can be created at Wagah to allow freer entry on simple passes stamped at the border for tourism and people-to-people contacts. The Punjabi-Mohajirs should be allowed to visit their ancestral places without any hassle. Punjabi language faculties, scholars, researchers, writers and artists should be allowed to work together. Joint chambers of business and agriculture can be formed. The Lahore-Amritsar bus link needs to be revived with dozens of buses moving between the two cities on a daily basis. Special shuttles should be allowed to run between Amritsar and Nankana Sahib and Hasan Abdal for pilgrimage on a daily or weekly basis. The list for cooperation is infinite. No doubt, the World Punjabi Congress, besides other literary groups, has kept a window of interaction open among the Punjabi intellectuals during the worst phases of the conflict between the two countries. The meeting of the two chief ministers is a good sign. Let the commonalities between the people form the basis for good neighbourly relations between India and Pakistan. The friendship lies not in erasing borders, but in erasing the communal hate-line dividing the hearts. The writer, a Pakistani journalist, is Secretary-General, South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA).

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