Pakistan and India the largest nations in South Asia have been inter connected by centuries of joint history, cultural overlap and familial bonds. Their relationship after independence in 1947, has been marked by tension, conflict and missed opportunities. India predominantly with Hindu and Pakistan largely Muslim population, the religious division has often been at the centre of their conflict, which roots run deeper and are tangled with colonial legacies and current politics.
Before independence, Hindus and Muslims lived together in Hindustan. Though differences were there, communities lived side by side for centuries, sharing language, culture and traditions. The British Raj, under its infamous divide & rule policy, sowed seeds of division, concluding in one of the most tragic episodes in South Asian history, the partition of 1947, which was not just geographic but emotional and social also caused immense bloodshed, mass migration and deep marks that still affect both countries.
The creation of Pakistan and India as independent nations also carried some unresolved issues, the most confrontational being the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. Its Hindu Ruler chosen to be part of India despite of the fact that the state had a majority of Muslim population, causing the first Indo-Pak war in 1948. This unresolved territorial conflict has become the reasons of three full fledge wars in 1948, 1965 and 1971 and many clashes, consuming large national resources and diverts attention from much-needed development.
Both India and Pakistan have invested deeply in their military capabilities over the decades, including nuclear arsenals. Being developing nations with enormous populations living below the poverty line, both counties involved in an arms race. Their obsession with military dominance has come at a cost to social wellbeing, education and healthcare.
No side can claim a decisive victory in a nuclear war, still the two remain tangled in distrust and hostility, often avoiding dialogue under one pretext or another. Whenever they try to initiate diplomatic negotiations, some unwarranted incident like an act of terrorism or ceasefire violation force them back to the brink of war. Such incidents raise questions about whether these are coincidental or serve certain vested interests. The politicians of both countries take advantage of nationalistic sentiments to win elections, exploiting such situation and demonizing the other nation.
Media Hawks
Television screens and social media platforms have become new battlegrounds of todays modern era. Newscasters, so called journalists and retired military persons appear on talk shows, behaving like warriors than analysts, hurling allegations and fuelling public opinion. The war may not be fought with bullets but rages on through distortion of facts, disinformation and emotional manipulation as a result public that is often misinformed, scared and annoyed.
Suffering of Ordinary People
Meanwhile, ordinary people suffer in silence as this vile hostility grows. In India, some 129 million people live in extreme poverty, and about 44% of the population survives on less than $3.65 a day. In Pakistan, 42% of people live below the same threshold, exposing the economic struggle that plagues both countries, a struggle that is exacerbated by poor governance and misallocation of resources.
Education is another victim. In Pakistan alone, an estimated 25.3 million children aged 5-16 are out of school, about 36 percent of the school-age population. The number is also alarming in India, where an estimated 47.44 million children aged 6-17 are out of school. The education crisis is jeopardizing the future of millions of children who are missing out on opportunities to improve their lives.
Healthcare figures are also disappointing. According to government of India, nearly 80 percent of public healthcare facilities do not meet minimum standards for infrastructure, employment and apparatus and in Pakistan, only half of the population has access to general healthcare, which are far below international targets.
The irrefutable truth is that people of any religion or country can completely eliminate another. Muslims cannot crush non-Muslims, Christians and Jews never achieved absolute power, nor can any nation control the globe forever. The world is meant for living together with mutual respect, and collective progress. The enmity between India and Pakistan has not served any purpose except deepening poverty and suffering among their citizens.
Trade Between India & Pakistan
What if India and Pakistan compete not in warfare but in trade, technology and innovation? According to the World Bank, if trade barriers are lifted, the trade between India and Pakistan, which is presently around $2 billion, could reach $37 billion annually. Opening borders for trade would not just boost GDPs but also lower inflation and living standards of citizen of both countries will improve.
Take an example of trade across the Line of Control trade in Jammu and Kashmir, which once generated about 170,000 labor days and $12 million in income. This shows the real, solid benefits of economic cooperation. Sectors such as textiles, agriculture and manufacturing stand to gain enormously by creating jobs and improving livelihoods on both sides of the border.
However, this is only possible with political, social, and moral courage from the leadership of both countries to rise above short-term Election Day gains and work towards long term peace. Media should also act with responsibility by promoting dialogue and understanding rather than fuelling fires of hate. Civil society members, scholars and youngsters from both nations should come together to challenge the account of unending conflict.
History cannot be changed but the future could be. India and Pakistan can continue to bleed each other through hatred or embrace a new era of cooperation and mutual respect. The choice is theirs and time is of the essence.
Peace is not a weakness. It is the highest form of strength.