Asif Durrani
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No. I live in London (UK). The most ethnically diverse and cosmopolitan city in the world..... I cannot speak for Hinduism or indian culture, but Islam is the massive factor and overriding force in Pakistani culture. The essence of Pakistan is Islam. Pakistanis and indians have reached a stage were the very little bit of commonality and similarity there may have been decades ago has all but disappeared now. Dead and buried.There is no connection left.....QUOTE]
London is an ethnically diverse city but far from being the most cosmopolitan. Indians, Bangladeshis and Pakistanis there all tend to live in their own communities, and retain much of the baggage from the motherland. A truly cosmopolitan city would be like New York- very little ghettoization and the second generation is totally integrated.
The lost connection between India and Pakistan is forced social engineering; mostly by Pakistanis. The Indians discarded Urdu as a principal language and it was picked up by Pakistanis. Where was Urdu spoken in Pakistan before Partition? An entirely new identity was sought to be imposed upon Pakistanis, including discouraging traditional celebrations like Diwali, Holi and Lohri. These are similarities that have been gradually dismantled by the Pakistani state in an attempt to carve a new identity. So ashamed were they of their South Asian identity that they borrowed from everywhere - Afghan and Turkic heroes, Kemalist Nationalism and Wahabbi Islam from Saudi Arabia. Now apparently that is our culture. Having disowned our own past, we now conveniently ignore that Sufi and Barelvi Islam have flourished in India as well for as long, with its own unique identity, which is uniquely South Asian.
What is this unique Islamic identity you talk of, which you or I do not share with the 350 million-odd Muslims in India and Bangladesh?
No. I live in London (UK). The most ethnically diverse and cosmopolitan city in the world. Where millions of Pakistanis AND indians live. What I say is based on over 30 years of personal observation and experience. I have seen 1000s of Pakistanis and indians and have come to my conclusions based on that. A ground reality. I have not based my opinions and conclusions on media propaganda or what is said or written on the internet. Or even what my older relatives say. indians from india say Pakistanis are the same race as them but UK born indians don't because they are aware of the true reality. I cannot speak for Hinduism or indian culture, but Islam is the massive factor and overriding force in Pakistani culture. The essence of Pakistan is Islam. Pakistanis and indians have reached a stage were the very little bit of commonality and similarity there may have been decades ago has all but disappeared now. Dead and buried.There is no connection left.
I'm far from unique. Just a fairly well educated, everyday, decent and independent Pakistani male born and bred in London. It's really patronising when indians try to tell us what our heritage is. indians from india try to claim us Pakistanis as their own people. We don't even look like them. We are not like you or the same race as you. And never will be.
London is an ethnically diverse city but far from being the most cosmopolitan. Indians, Bangladeshis and Pakistanis there all tend to live in their own communities, and retain much of the baggage from the motherland. A truly cosmopolitan city would be like New York- very little ghettoization and the second generation is totally integrated.
The lost connection between India and Pakistan is forced social engineering; mostly by Pakistanis. The Indians discarded Urdu as a principal language and it was picked up by Pakistanis. Where was Urdu spoken in Pakistan before Partition? An entirely new identity was sought to be imposed upon Pakistanis, including discouraging traditional celebrations like Diwali, Holi and Lohri. These are similarities that have been gradually dismantled by the Pakistani state in an attempt to carve a new identity. So ashamed were they of their South Asian identity that they borrowed from everywhere - Afghan and Turkic heroes, Kemalist Nationalism and Wahabbi Islam from Saudi Arabia. Now apparently that is our culture. Having disowned our own past, we now conveniently ignore that Sufi and Barelvi Islam have flourished in India as well for as long, with its own unique identity, which is uniquely South Asian.
What is this unique Islamic identity you talk of, which you or I do not share with the 350 million-odd Muslims in India and Bangladesh?