Indian Journalists & Writers Share "Eye-Opener" Stories of Pakistan Visits

[gslv mk3]

What's written is true. Ask me! I've been there and know that what is being portrayed by Westerners and some in India is complete balderdash. The Pakistanis I met were extremely friendly especially toward Indians (Unlike some here on PDF!! ) and go out of their way to make you feel like a VIP!

As I mentioned in another thread, the guys even refused to take money for those delicious kababs at Anarkali Bazaar saying I was an honored guest from India! Embarrassing, but that's the way it is!

All this talk of terror stalking the streets etc, etc is a bunch of baloney. I found nothing of the sort out there. It's just like any place in India, only cleaner!

Cheers!

Thats nice....
But this article has many distortions and illusions 'masala' added to it

There was a time when pakistan's infrastructure was much better than india but not now, india has left pakistan far behind even bangladesh and srilanka is leaving pakistan behind.

Thats true...

A bunch of North Indian English Media journalists visiting Pakistani Punjab, of course they will connect. Hope next time Pakistanis invite some South Indian vernacular press journalists and then we can see.

What do you mean?

 

[RiazHaq]

There was a time when pakistan's infrastructure was much better than india but not now, india has left pakistan far behind even bangladesh and srilanka is leaving pakistan behind.

And how did you conclude that?

Mahanth Joishi and Pankaj Mishra visited and compared in 2012.

Here's what they wrote:

Mahanth S. Joishy, Editor, usindiamonitor.com : (July, 2012)

Many of us travel for business or leisure. But few ever take a trip that dramatically shatters their entire worldview of a country and a people in one fell swoop. I was lucky enough to have returned from just such a trip: a week-long sojourn in Pakistan.

It was a true eye-opener, and a thoroughly enjoyable one at that. Many of the assumptions and feelings I had held toward the country for nearly 30 years were challenged and exposed as wrong and even ignorant outright.
------------------------------
The Western and Indian media feed us a steady diet of stories about bomb blasts, gunfights, kidnappings, torture, subjugation of women, dysfunctional government, and scary madrassa schools that are training the next generation of jihadist terrorists. And yes, to many Westerners and especially Indians, Pakistan is the enemy, embodying all that is wrong in the world. Incidents such as the beheading of American journalist Daniel Pearl, 26/11 and the Osama Bin Laden raid in Abottobad have not helped the cause either. Numerous international relations analysts proclaim that Pakistan is “the most dangerous place in the world” and the border with India is “the most dangerous border in the world.”
--------------------------------------
(Upon arrival in Karachi) two uniformed bodyguards with rifles who were exceedingly friendly and welcoming climbed onto the pickup truck bed as we started on a 45-minute drive. I was impressed by the massive, well-maintained parks and gardens surrounding the airport. I was also impressed by the general cleanliness, the orderliness of the traffic, the quality of the roads, and the greenery. Coming from a city government background, I was surprised at how organized Karachi was throughout the ride. I also didn’t see many beggars the entire way. I had just spent significant amounts of time in two major Indian cities, Mumbai and Bangalore, as well as several second-tier cities like Mangalore, and none would compare favorably on maintenance and city planning, especially when it came to potholes and waste management. This was the first surprise; I was expecting that piles of garbage and dirt would line the roads and beggars would overflow onto the streets. Surely there is dirt and poverty in Karachi, but far less than I was expecting. Karachi was also less dense and crowded than India’s cities.


My second pleasant surprise was to see numerous large development projects under way. I had read about Pakistan’s sluggish GDP growth and corruption in public works and foreign aid disbursement. This may be true, but construction was going on all over the place: new movie theaters, new malls, new skyscrapers, new roads, and entire new neighborhoods being built from scratch. In this regard it was similar to India and every other part of Asia I had seen recently: new development and rapid change continues apace, something we are seeing less of in the West.
-----------------------
We were also able to do some things which may sound more familiar to Americans: bowling at Karachi’s first bowling alley, intense games of pickup basketball with some local teenagers at a large public park (these kids could really play), or passing through massive and well-appointed malls filled with thousands of happy people of all ages walking around, shopping, or eating at the food court. We even attended a grand launch party for Magnum ice cream bars, featuring many of Pakistan’s A-list actors, models, and businesspeople. A friend who is involved in producing musicals directed an excellent performance at the party, complete with live band, singing, and dancing. This troupe, Made for Stage has also produced shows such as the Broadway musical Chicago to critical acclaim with an all-Pakistani cast for the first time in history.


Even the poor areas we visited, such as the neighborhoods around the Mazar, were filled with families coming out for a picnic or a stroll, enjoying their weekend leisure time in the sun. All I could see were friendly and happy people, including children with striking features running around. At no time did I feel the least bit unsafe anywhere we went, and we definitely went through a mix of neighborhoods with varying profiles.
------------------------------------------
Lahore is more beautiful overall than Karachi or any large Indian city I’ve seen. Serious effort has gone into keeping the city green and preserving its storied history. Historians would have a field day here. In particular we saw two stunning historic mosques, the Wazir Khan and the Badshahi, both of which should be considered treasures not only for Muslims, Pakistanis, or South Asia, but for all of humanity. I felt it a crime that I’d never even heard of either one. Each of them in different ways features breath-taking architecture and intricate artwork comparable to India’s Taj Mahal. These are must-see sights for any tourist to Lahore. The best way to enjoy the vista of the Badshahi mosque is to have a meal on the rooftop of one of the many superb restaurants on Food Street next to the mosque compound. This interesting area was for hundreds of years an infamous red-light district, made up of a series of old wooden rowhouses that look like they were lifted straight out of New Orleans’ Bourbon Street, strangely juxtaposed with one of the country’s holiest shrines. From the roof of Cuckoo’s Den restaurant, we could see all of the massive Badshahi complex along with the adjoining royal fortress, all while having a 5-star meal of kebabs, spicy curries in clay pots, and lassi under the stars. We were fortunate to have very pleasant whether as well. This alfresco dining experience with two good friends encompassed my favorite moments in the city.


We did much more in Lahore. We were given a tour of the renowned Aitchison College, which one of my friends attended. This boys’ private prep school is known for its difficult entrance exams, rigorous academic tradition, illustrious list of alumni since the British founded the school, and its gorgeous and impeccably maintained 200-acre campus that puts most major universities icluding my own Georgetown to shame. Aitchison has been considered one of the best prep schools on the subcontinent since 1886. However, it would have been impossible to get a tour without the alumni connection because security is very thorough.


Pankaj Mishra, Bloomberg: (April, 2012)

...I also saw much in this recent visit that did not conform to the main Western narrative for South Asia -- one in which India is steadily rising and Pakistan rapidly collapsing.

Born of certain geopolitical needs and exigencies, this vision was always most useful to those who have built up India as an investment destination and a strategic counterweight to China, and who have sought to bribe and cajole Pakistan’s military-intelligence establishment into the war on terrorism.

Seen through the narrow lens of the West’s security and economic interests, the great internal contradictions and tumult within these two large nation-states disappear. In the Western view, the credit-fueled consumerism among the Indian middle class appears a much bigger phenomenon than the extraordinary Maoist uprising in Central India.
------------
Traveling through Pakistan, I realized how much my own knowledge of the country -- its problems as well as prospects -- was partial, defective or simply useless. Certainly, truisms about the general state of crisis were not hard to corroborate. Criminal gangs shot rocket-propelled grenades at each other and the police in Karachi’s Lyari neighborhood. Shiite Hazaras were being assassinated in Balochistan every day. Street riots broke out in several places over severe power shortages -- indeed, the one sound that seemed to unite the country was the groan of diesel generators, helping the more affluent Pakistanis cope with early summer heat.

In this eternally air-conditioned Pakistan, meanwhile, there exist fashion shows, rock bands, literary festivals, internationally prominent writers, Oscar-winning filmmakers and the bold anchors of a lively new electronic media. This is the glamorously liberal country upheld by English-speaking Pakistanis fretting about their national image in the West (some of them might have been gratified by the runaway success of Hello magazine’s first Pakistani edition last week).

But much less conspicuous and more significant, other signs of a society in rapid socioeconomic and political transition abounded. The elected parliament is about to complete its five- year term -- a rare event in Pakistan -- and its amendments to the constitution have taken away some if not all of the near- despotic prerogatives of the president’s office.

Political parties are scrambling to take advantage of the strengthening ethno-linguistic movements for provincial autonomy in Punjab and Sindh provinces. Young men and women, poor as well as upper middle class, have suddenly buoyed the anti-corruption campaign led by Imran Khan, an ex-cricketer turned politician.

After radically increasing the size of the consumerist middle class to 30 million, Pakistan’s formal economy, which grew only 2.4 percent in 2011, currently presents a dismal picture. But the informal sector of the economy, which spreads across rural and urban areas, is creating what the architect and social scientist Arif Hasan calls Pakistan’s “unplanned revolution.” Karachi, where a mall of Dubai-grossness recently erupted near the city’s main beach, now boasts “a first world economy and sociology, but with a third world wage and political structure.”

Even in Lyari, Karachi’s diseased old heart, where young gangsters with Kalashnikovs lurked in the alleys, billboards vended quick proficiency in information technology and the English language. Everywhere, in the Salt Range in northwestern Punjab as well as the long corridor between Lahore and Islamabad, were gated housing colonies, private colleges, fast- food restaurants and other markers of Pakistan’s breakneck suburbanization....

Haq's Musings: Indians Share "Eye-Opener" Stories of Pakistan

 

[gslv mk3]

And how did you conclude that?

Mahanth Joishi and Pankaj Mishra visited and compared in 2012.

Here's what they wrote:

Mahanth S. Joishy, Editor, usindiamonitor.com : (July, 2012)

Many of us travel for business or leisure. But few ever take a trip that dramatically shatters their entire worldview of a country and a people in one fell swoop. I was lucky enough to have returned from just such a trip: a week-long sojourn in Pakistan.

It was a true eye-opener, and a thoroughly enjoyable one at that. Many of the assumptions and feelings I had held toward the country for nearly 30 years were challenged and exposed as wrong and even ignorant outright.
------------------------------
The Western and Indian media feed us a steady diet of stories about bomb blasts, gunfights, kidnappings, torture, subjugation of women, dysfunctional government, and scary madrassa schools that are training the next generation of jihadist terrorists. And yes, to many Westerners and especially Indians, Pakistan is the enemy, embodying all that is wrong in the world. Incidents such as the beheading of American journalist Daniel Pearl, 26/11 and the Osama Bin Laden raid in Abottobad have not helped the cause either. Numerous international relations analysts proclaim that Pakistan is “the most dangerous place in the world” and the border with India is “the most dangerous border in the world.”
--------------------------------------
(Upon arrival in Karachi) two uniformed bodyguards with rifles who were exceedingly friendly and welcoming climbed onto the pickup truck bed as we started on a 45-minute drive. I was impressed by the massive, well-maintained parks and gardens surrounding the airport. I was also impressed by the general cleanliness, the orderliness of the traffic, the quality of the roads, and the greenery. Coming from a city government background, I was surprised at how organized Karachi was throughout the ride. I also didn’t see many beggars the entire way. I had just spent significant amounts of time in two major Indian cities, Mumbai and Bangalore, as well as several second-tier cities like Mangalore, and none would compare favorably on maintenance and city planning, especially when it came to potholes and waste management. This was the first surprise; I was expecting that piles of garbage and dirt would line the roads and beggars would overflow onto the streets. Surely there is dirt and poverty in Karachi, but far less than I was expecting. Karachi was also less dense and crowded than India’s cities.


My second pleasant surprise was to see numerous large development projects under way. I had read about Pakistan’s sluggish GDP growth and corruption in public works and foreign aid disbursement. This may be true, but construction was going on all over the place: new movie theaters, new malls, new skyscrapers, new roads, and entire new neighborhoods being built from scratch. In this regard it was similar to India and every other part of Asia I had seen recently: new development and rapid change continues apace, something we are seeing less of in the West.
-----------------------
We were also able to do some things which may sound more familiar to Americans: bowling at Karachi’s first bowling alley, intense games of pickup basketball with some local teenagers at a large public park (these kids could really play), or passing through massive and well-appointed malls filled with thousands of happy people of all ages walking around, shopping, or eating at the food court. We even attended a grand launch party for Magnum ice cream bars, featuring many of Pakistan’s A-list actors, models, and businesspeople. A friend who is involved in producing musicals directed an excellent performance at the party, complete with live band, singing, and dancing. This troupe, Made for Stage has also produced shows such as the Broadway musical Chicago to critical acclaim with an all-Pakistani cast for the first time in history.


Even the poor areas we visited, such as the neighborhoods around the Mazar, were filled with families coming out for a picnic or a stroll, enjoying their weekend leisure time in the sun. All I could see were friendly and happy people, including children with striking features running around. At no time did I feel the least bit unsafe anywhere we went, and we definitely went through a mix of neighborhoods with varying profiles.
------------------------------------------
Lahore is more beautiful overall than Karachi or any large Indian city I’ve seen. Serious effort has gone into keeping the city green and preserving its storied history. Historians would have a field day here. In particular we saw two stunning historic mosques, the Wazir Khan and the Badshahi, both of which should be considered treasures not only for Muslims, Pakistanis, or South Asia, but for all of humanity. I felt it a crime that I’d never even heard of either one. Each of them in different ways features breath-taking architecture and intricate artwork comparable to India’s Taj Mahal. These are must-see sights for any tourist to Lahore. The best way to enjoy the vista of the Badshahi mosque is to have a meal on the rooftop of one of the many superb restaurants on Food Street next to the mosque compound. This interesting area was for hundreds of years an infamous red-light district, made up of a series of old wooden rowhouses that look like they were lifted straight out of New Orleans’ Bourbon Street, strangely juxtaposed with one of the country’s holiest shrines. From the roof of Cuckoo’s Den restaurant, we could see all of the massive Badshahi complex along with the adjoining royal fortress, all while having a 5-star meal of kebabs, spicy curries in clay pots, and lassi under the stars. We were fortunate to have very pleasant whether as well. This alfresco dining experience with two good friends encompassed my favorite moments in the city.


We did much more in Lahore. We were given a tour of the renowned Aitchison College, which one of my friends attended. This boys’ private prep school is known for its difficult entrance exams, rigorous academic tradition, illustrious list of alumni since the British founded the school, and its gorgeous and impeccably maintained 200-acre campus that puts most major universities icluding my own Georgetown to shame. Aitchison has been considered one of the best prep schools on the subcontinent since 1886. However, it would have been impossible to get a tour without the alumni connection because security is very thorough.


Pankaj Mishra, Bloomberg: (April, 2012)

...I also saw much in this recent visit that did not conform to the main Western narrative for South Asia -- one in which India is steadily rising and Pakistan rapidly collapsing.

Born of certain geopolitical needs and exigencies, this vision was always most useful to those who have built up India as an investment destination and a strategic counterweight to China, and who have sought to bribe and cajole Pakistan’s military-intelligence establishment into the war on terrorism.

Seen through the narrow lens of the West’s security and economic interests, the great internal contradictions and tumult within these two large nation-states disappear. In the Western view, the credit-fueled consumerism among the Indian middle class appears a much bigger phenomenon than the extraordinary Maoist uprising in Central India.
------------
Traveling through Pakistan, I realized how much my own knowledge of the country -- its problems as well as prospects -- was partial, defective or simply useless. Certainly, truisms about the general state of crisis were not hard to corroborate. Criminal gangs shot rocket-propelled grenades at each other and the police in Karachi’s Lyari neighborhood. Shiite Hazaras were being assassinated in Balochistan every day. Street riots broke out in several places over severe power shortages -- indeed, the one sound that seemed to unite the country was the groan of diesel generators, helping the more affluent Pakistanis cope with early summer heat.

In this eternally air-conditioned Pakistan, meanwhile, there exist fashion shows, rock bands, literary festivals, internationally prominent writers, Oscar-winning filmmakers and the bold anchors of a lively new electronic media. This is the glamorously liberal country upheld by English-speaking Pakistanis fretting about their national image in the West (some of them might have been gratified by the runaway success of Hello magazine’s first Pakistani edition last week).

But much less conspicuous and more significant, other signs of a society in rapid socioeconomic and political transition abounded. The elected parliament is about to complete its five- year term -- a rare event in Pakistan -- and its amendments to the constitution have taken away some if not all of the near- despotic prerogatives of the president’s office.

Political parties are scrambling to take advantage of the strengthening ethno-linguistic movements for provincial autonomy in Punjab and Sindh provinces. Young men and women, poor as well as upper middle class, have suddenly buoyed the anti-corruption campaign led by Imran Khan, an ex-cricketer turned politician.

After radically increasing the size of the consumerist middle class to 30 million, Pakistan’s formal economy, which grew only 2.4 percent in 2011, currently presents a dismal picture. But the informal sector of the economy, which spreads across rural and urban areas, is creating what the architect and social scientist Arif Hasan calls Pakistan’s “unplanned revolution.” Karachi, where a mall of Dubai-grossness recently erupted near the city’s main beach, now boasts “a first world economy and sociology, but with a third world wage and political structure.”

Even in Lyari, Karachi’s diseased old heart, where young gangsters with Kalashnikovs lurked in the alleys, billboards vended quick proficiency in information technology and the English language. Everywhere, in the Salt Range in northwestern Punjab as well as the long corridor between Lahore and Islamabad, were gated housing colonies, private colleges, fast- food restaurants and other markers of Pakistan’s breakneck suburbanization....

Haq's Musings: Indians Share "Eye-Opener" Stories of Pakistan

did you even read my post?that is a BS article for Sure
First build a proper rail link with proper locomotives

------------------------------
The Western and Indian media feed us a steady diet of stories about bomb blasts, gunfights, kidnappings, torture, subjugation of women, dysfunctional government, and scary madrassa schools that are training the next generation of jihadist terrorists. And yes, to many Westerners and especially Indians, Pakistan is the enemy, embodying all that is wrong in the world. Incidents such as the beheading of American journalist Daniel Pearl, 26/11 and the Osama Bin Laden raid in Abottobad have not helped the cause either. Numerous international relations analysts proclaim that Pakistan is “the most dangerous place in the world” and the border with India is “the most dangerous border in the world.”
Original Post By RiazHaq
I admit,many imdians think of pakistanis as dirt poor,barbarian and backward and that attitue has to change
I was impressed by the massive, well-maintained parks and gardens surrounding the airport. I was also impressed by the general cleanliness, the orderliness of the traffic, the quality of the roads, and the greenery. Coming from a city government background, I was surprised at how organized Karachi was throughout the ride.
Only thing pakistan airports are better than india is the orderliness of the traffic.Airports in india are are way better than pakistan

I also didn’t see many beggars the entire way. I had just spent significant amounts of time in two major Indian cities, Mumbai and Bangalore, as well as several second-tier cities like Mangalore, and none would compare favorably on maintenance and city planning, especially when it came to potholes and waste management.
he havent seen navi mumbai,gandhinagar or greater noida
Karachi was also less dense and crowded than India’s cities.
100% true but it is more crowded than delhi NCR
My second pleasant surprise was to see numerous large development projects under way. I had read about Pakistan’s sluggish GDP growth and corruption in public works and foreign aid disbursement. This may be true, but construction was going on all over the place: new movie theaters, new malls, new skyscrapers, new roads, and entire new neighborhoods being built from scratch. In this regard it was similar to India and every other part of Asia I had seen recently: new development and rapid change continues apace, something we are seeing less of in the West.
Sorry about skyscrapers.
List of tallest buildings in Mumbai
82 done(above 100 m)tallest 260 metre,
115 under construction(above 144m),
63 approved(above100m)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Pakistan
7 done(above 100 m)
13 under construction(above 100 m)
11 approved/proposed(above 100 m)

We were also able to do some things which may sound more familiar to Americans: bowling at Karachi’s first bowling alley, intense games of pickup basketball with some local teenagers at a large public park (these kids could really play), or passing through massive and well-appointed malls filled with thousands of happy people of all ages walking around, shopping, or eating at the food court. We even attended a grand launch party for Magnum ice cream bars, featuring many of Pakistan’s A-list actors, models, and businesspeople. A friend who is involved in producing musicals directed an excellent performance at the party, complete with live band, singing, and dancing. This troupe, Made for Stage has also produced shows such as the Broadway musical Chicago to critical acclaim with an all-Pakistani cast for the first time in history.
and India doesn't have a bowling alley or a mall?
Lahore is more beautiful overall than Karachi or any large Indian city I’ve seen
.
+1
Yes. Yes, you read right. The roads. I used to live in Mumbai and now I live in Delhi and, yes, I think good roads are a great, mammoth, gargantuan luxury! Face it, when did you last see a good road in India? Like a really smooth road. Drivable, wide, nicely built and long, yawning, stretching so far that you want zip on till eternity and loosen the gears and let the car fly. A road without squeeze or bump or gaping holes that pop up like blood-dripping kitchen knives in Ramsay Brothers films. When did you last see such roads? Pakistan is full of such roads.
hyderabad outer ring road

Have seen a lot.mumbai is a space shortage island city.but even it has got 8 lanes + service lane avenues.
Delhi has best infra in south asia lot of expressways and metro,bus rapid transit.

if there is one thing we should learn from the Pakistanis, it is how to build roads. And oh, another thing, no one throws beer bottles or trash on the highways and motorways.
Indias has lots of good roads like delhi gurgaon,panipat elevated corridor,hyderabad orr and have 13000 km of 4-6 lane highways of good quality.
That realization hit me as a rude shock the moment I stepped out of the plane and entered Islamabad's plush International Airport, easily far more efficient, modern and better maintained than any of its counterparts in India.
delhi airport

Delhi airport ranked second best in the world
islamabad airport

Pakistans concrete block airports are no match for new glass and steel airports in india.
every tier1,tier 2,tier3 airports have one
trivandrum airport

^^^^^^That one was designed by Atkins (UK)




Source: http://www.defence.pk/forums/econom...er-stories-pakistan-visits.html#ixzz0VdRd7jtU

 

[Rafi]

This is part of what impressed the indian journalists so much, our roads.

 

[ajtr]

An enriching experience, amazing hospitality

Pakistani students who visited India as part of the Rotary-Aman ki Asha Youth Exchange Programme share their views about the trip
"The love of one's country is a splendid thing. But why should love stop at the border?
- Pablo Casals
The ten days I spent in India will be the most memorable ones of my life. The hospitality, the eagerness, the rich learning experience has been priceless. Our respective hosts Mr. Deepak Talwar, Mr. Vivek Nanchahal and Mr. Vimal Singhania, were the most warm and lovely hosts, whose families have given us so much love and support that I didn't even once feel I was away from my family. The trip was overwhelming - from the mind-boggling variety of vegetarian foods and spices, our discussions with some amazing people to the overall hospitality of people we met wherever we went. They say travelling is the best way to learn and explore. I fully agree. Meeting people, learning through witnessing, is the best possible education. This programme is a great initiative for both the countries to be together, providing an opportunity to the youth on both sides to engage, explore and learn. I am indeed very fortunate to have been part of this experience."
- Hira Saleem, L'Ecole for Advanced Studies

"The Rotary-Aman ki Asha youth exchange programme provided me with this great opportunity to visit India. The initial queries in my heart were quashed by the warm welcome of our hosts. Throughout the trip they gave me love and affection which cannot be described in words. The overwhelming friendship and care we received from our neighbours were evident in their hospitality. Sightseeing had never been so interesting, thanks to our day host students who maintained a convivial atmosphere. A thoroughly enriching experience that will always stay with me."
- Mujtaba Suhail Raja, L'Ecole for Advanced Studies.

"I am so glad I got this exceptional opportunity to visit India as a Youth Peace Ambassador of Pakistan through the Rotary and Aman ki Asha Youth Exchange programme. It was a learning experience. We got to present our views and ideas relating to this peace initiative on different levels and got a similar response from Indians, which proved that we share similar thoughts on developing friendship between the two countries. This programme holds great possibilities of promoting peace and better understanding between the people of Pakistan and India. More such youth exchange programmes should be held, as this is a great platform for the youth to interact and help towards the betterment of Pakistan and India.
We visited a lot of interesting places of historical and religious significance, like Taj Mahal, Humayun's Tomb, Qutub Minar, Jama Masjid, Akshardham and Bangla Sahib Gurudwara. I made great friends whom I got very close to in a very short time, which made it harder to leave them behind. It was a lot of fun and we received lots of love and special care from everyone we met. Especially the home hospitality we got was exceptional. Our hosts treated us as their own family members, and made sure we did not get homesick. The food was delicious and left me craving for more. I have left India with a very positive image and a hope to return soon and get a chance to visit my ancestral city as well."
- Sarah Kidwai, The Lyceum School, Member
Rotaract Club of Karachi Karsaz

"It was a very fruitful interaction and a trip that I'll remember my entire life. It was more then just an experience because I managed to conquer some hearts and I think that was my biggest achievement. We went there as 'mohabbaton kay safeer' (ambassadors of love), and came back with 'aman ka tarana' (song of peace) filled in every single heart. All the credit goes to Rotary and Aman ki Asha"
- Salar Khoso, Greenwich Institute

Our trip to India was a wonderful experience. I learned a lot about the people there. I have come to realise that deep in their hearts they want to have a good relationship with their neighbouring countries including Pakistan. During our interaction with Indian Rotarians, we discussed certain wrong notions that they had in their minds about us, or we had about them. That is how we developed a better understanding of each other."
- Amna Rahman, Lyceum

I enjoyed this trip so much more than any other tour I have been on. The way our hosts in India welcomed and treated us was beyond my expectations. All our all hosts were amazingly humble, loving, and caring. I found that our languages, food, culture, and customs are very much same - it's like we are twins.
Music has no language, nationality or religion. Being a singer, this was my first time in front of more than a thousand people at the Rotary International Conference where I performed the title song of Aman ki Asha. I don't have words to describe the warm and tearful response of the audience. The collaboration of Rotary International with Aman ki Asha can be very beneficial in improving relations of both countries. Such exchanges will help bring hearts closer and change the perception of ordinary people on both sides."
- Absaar Hussain, Greenwich Institute

"The people were very hospitable and kind. They went out of their way to please everyone. Even the Rotractors, who came everyday, travelled long distances to be with us. Most were students who had left classes to host. The Rotarians made sure that we were made as comfortable as possible. The weather was extremely pleasant good, which added to the pleasure of visiting different places on this trip. We were given privileged preference to most invitations.
The group was extremely happy with the hospitality extended and the warmth shown.
- Tahira Ahmed Khan, Team leader, Assistant Professor &Academic-Coordinator, Student Counselor Greenwich University, Karachi

 

[gslv mk3]

Hyderabad outer ring road compare with one in the video...even a tier III indian city like Mysore has a 6 lane+service lane ring road you allow cycles on that road?

this is a city road???my village road is better than this.it is 2 lane and have lane markings

OMG.you can see a lot of potholes as well as patches

http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQpAfrbZxlY&feature=player_embedded

Not even a proper sidewalk....... what about pedestrians....come to Delhi..you can see sidewalks with tactile tiles for the blind and escalator equpped foot over brides
escalator equpped FOBs

This is part of what impressed the indian journalists so much, our roads.

Really??

 

[ajtr]

VIEWPOINT...A Pakistani in India


Last December, while processing the plethora of forms a Pakistani visitor has to submit in spite of having a valid visa, an immigration officer at the newly refurbished Indira Gandhi International Airport at Delhi asked me: "Babu ji, aap patarkar ho; yeh batao humare duno deshon kay beech rishta kab theek hoga?" [You are a journalist; tell me, when will the relations between our countries normalise?] "When I served the Indian Army, I hated Pakistanis and thought of them as the enemy but since I've joined the immigration department and met so many Pakistanis at the immigration counter, hum ko to ab aap log apne jaise hi lagte ho [you people are the same as us]."

The immigration officer is not the only one who finds more similarities than differences between Pakistanis and Indians. Since my first visit to India in 1986 to the last trip this April, I have heard this observation many times. Another common observation on both sides of the border is that while there are no hostilities among the people, barring some ultra-nationalists and religious extremists venomous chants, the Delhi and Islamabad establishments are too slow and cautious in normalising relations at the official level.

Why? I think weak coalition governments in both countries fear the so-called public perception that is projected by vested interests. The fact is that it is very irresponsible of the opinion-makers - politicians and media - to generalise peoples' perception on important issues in multi-ethnic and multi-structural societies. As these opinion-makers represent the ruling establishment's interest, most of the time they present official views as the people's views. There is no genuinely 'national' view in India and Pakistan except in times of war or a cricket match between the two countries. In peace time, whenever an individual gets the chance to visit the other's country (in spite of perhaps the most ridiculous visa regime in the world), they get a warmer reception than anywhere else in the world.

Let's talk about the people of Pakistan first. The people of Baluchistan - Baloch and Pashtun - have never been anti-India or enthusiastic about fighting for Kashmir. The same is the case with Sindhis. Now even the Mohajir - the Urdu-speaking Sindhi - youth think along the same lines. The Seraiki-speaking people of southern Punjab, barring the jihadists of Bahawalpur Division, have never been in the forefront of any anti-India movement; they are mostly indifferent. Most of the Pashtuns of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have also supported having good relations with India. This leaves only northern Punjab, which is the beneficiary of the war economy. However, even in central and northern Punjab, spurred by the ruling industrial class, sentiments have been changing in favour of having better relations with India.

Similarly, India is too big and diverse to have homogenous views. The people of southern and eastern India are, by and large, not hostile towards Pakistanis. If they're not very close, it is mainly because of the language and cultural barriers. On the other hand, the people of northern India have a lot in common. Whenever they meet at international conferences, they huddle together. I am reminded here of the Head of Asia-Pacific Organisation conference organised by The Economist at Penang, Malaysia in 1993. I met Adit Jain, a young India country expert, for the first time. Both of us were The Economist Conferences resource persons for presenting on the economic, business and political environment. Adit and I clicked immediately; he is now one of my best friends. When The Economist Conferences' regional managing director Sam Moon asked why we were together all the time when India and Pakistan were supposed to be enemies, Adit said that culturally he has more in common with me than his boss who was from Bengal. Adit loves to talk in Urdu and listen to Urdu poetry.

Another reason for Indians and Pakistanis becoming friendlier is that the population profile of both countries has changed a lot in the last quarter of a century. The size of the under-25 years population is 50 percent in India and 60 percent in Pakistan. This is the post-1971 generation, which is not burdened with the heavy baggage of the past. This generation is also forward-looking and wants to move upward at a fast-forward pace. A few years ago in Mumbai, young Nitesh Kumar put it thus: "The issues like Kashmir and tension with Pakistan are a drag on our economy and time."
Perhaps one of the reasons of the friendly attitude of Indians towards Pakistani visitors is that Muslims are no strangers to them as Muslims comprise 13 percent of India's population. When a Pakistani visits India, he is taken as somebody who has been once a part of the same society.
The mass migration after Partition created hundreds of thousands of people on both sides who have either direct nostalgic relations with cities and villages in the other country or have heard the same from their parents or grandparents. My first such encounter was on a train from Lucknow to Delhi in 1986, where I was attending the Golden Jubilee Conference of the Progressive Writers Association - again the joint heritage of litterateurs of both the countries. Next to me was Bhisham Sahni, celebrated Hindi writer and Rajinder Pal, a leading Urdu short-story writer. The common bond between them and me was not only that we belonged to the progressive writers' movement but also that Bisham's family had migrated from Rawalpindi and his elder brother (the famous actor Balraj Sahni) was my father's friend from their schooldays. Rajinder had migrated from Sialkot, the city of my mother.

While we were talking, a man sitting on the opposite seat with his mother, asked me if I was from Pakistan. When I replied in the affirmative, his mother started telling me about how she'd migrated from Karachi where her father had a locks shop at Lea Market. And I began thinking, of the six people sitting opposite each other, five had something in common. The Punjabi Hindus and Sikhs speak fondly of Lahore and Rawalpindi and ask when they can visit. The Sindhi Hindus speak about their forefather's cities with teary eyes. When I met the elder Mittal in Bali many years ago, for example, the founder of the steel mills empire went on and on about Karachi.

Admittedly, India has anti-peace lobbies like the Hindutavavadis, the RSS, Bal Thakaray's party and some hawks in the BJP. Pakistan too has its share of extremists. It has an anti-India lobby like the Jamaat-i-Islami, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish Mohammed etc. But the fact remains that India has had seven elections since 1989 and Pakistan has had six; in all these elections, no major political party whipped up hysteria against the other country. Whichever party came to power in both countries expressed its desire to normalise relations. That reflects the peoples' mood - the real proof of goodwill of people. This also belies the media and politicians who want us to believe that peoples of these countries are enemies.

Euphoria about the breakthrough in Pakistan-India relations has started a flurry of activities with delegations from both countries visiting each other. The businessmen of both countries have picked up the peace initiative for which a few starry-eyed peaceniks of Pakistan and India have been struggling for decades. As businessmen have the economic might and political clout, this time around there is hope that the establishment of both countries will gather courage and take some bold decisions. Let the 1.4 billion people of Pakistan and India bloom.

The writer is a senior journalist and communications expert.
ayazbabar@gmail.com

 

[harpoon]

What do you mean?

North Indians & Pakistanis (eventhough they deny) have a shared culture. The main one in them being the similarity of language...Hindi & Urdu. A South Indian on the otherhand will have problem with having the same 'connection' given the fact that majority of them are not fluent in Hindi.

 

[miss]

the warmth and hospitality are all fake.. its the true monh mein ram and bagal mein churi culture.
its easy to treat a guest with warmth in his face. the real test is what you do when you see his back. then why all the sending of trained guys into india?

 

[harpoon]

the warmth and hospitality are all fake.. its the true monh mein ram and bagal mein churi culture.
its easy to treat a guest with warmth in his face. the real test is what you do when you see his back. then why all the sending of trained guys into india?

Reminded me of an interesting debate in another forum about the hospitality of Afghans when compared to French. Its well documented that Afghans go over the top in the treatment of their guests while French are generally depicted as arrogant. For which a poster replied that the Afghans will may kill you as soon you leave their house while the French will leave you alone. So its better be in the company of 'cold' French than 'warm' Afghans.

 

[Ticker]

so this shows indians are not so rabiedly hateful of pakistan as most here would like tobelieve. For once Riaz has posted a pro india article

No sir, it does not show that Indians in India don't hate Pakistan. Contrarily, it shows how wrong the Indians in India are about Pakistan and how biased media presentation is made to Indians in India. The media persons expressed surprise of this fact also and accepted that how wrong their perception of Pakistan was.

Reminded me of an interesting debate in another forum about the hospitality of Afghans when compared to French. Its well documented that Afghans go over the top in the treatment of their guests while French are generally depicted as arrogant. For which a poster replied that the Afghans will may kill you as soon you leave their house while the French will leave you alone. So its better be in the company of 'cold' French than 'warm' Afghans.

Yeah ........ thank you for staying away from Pakistan.

 

[gslv mk3]

No sir, it does not show that Indians in India don't hate Pakistan. Contrarily, it shows how wrong the Indians in India are about Pakistan and how biased media presentation is made to Indians in India. The media persons expressed surprise of this fact also and accepted that how wrong their perception of Pakistan was.

Yes Indians and Pakistanis have wrong perceptions about each other...
Indians think that entire pakistani population support terrorism which is not true
Indians think that pakistan is run by Islamic fundemendalsts which is not true
Indians think that Pakistanis hate India a lot which is often not true
On the other hand
Pakistanis think that India is run by Hindutva radicals which is not true
Pakistanis think that Pakistan is more developed compared India to which is not true
Pakistanis think that 90% Indians are below poverty line which is not true

 

[Ticker]

Yes Indians and Pakistanis have wrong perceptions about each other...
Indians think that entire pakistani population support terrorism which is not true
Indians think that pakistan is run by Islamic fundemendalsts which is not true
Indians think that Pakistanis hate India a lot which is often not true
On the other hand
Pakistanis think that India is run by Hindutva radicals which is not true
Pakistanis think that Pakistan is more developed compared India to which is not true
Pakistanis think that 90% Indians are below poverty line which is not true

Yes living in Pakistan is comparatively much better as compared to India where tens of thousands sleep on pavements along the roads. Have you seen the slums in Bombay and the guys who sleep in open along road sides.

Visit chandni chowk in Delhi after the shops are closed, you won't find space to walk on the footpaths, even the divider between the road because people are sleeping on these.

One doesn't find such huge numbers in the manner in Pakistani cities.

Hardly any pot-holed roads.

No stink like you smell in even Chandigarh.

Come and visit the airports in Pakistan and then tell me if any Indian airport can is comparable.

I can go on and on.

 

[gslv mk3]

Yes living in Pakistan is comparatively much better as compared to India where tens of thousands sleep on pavements along the roads. Have you seen the slums in Bombay and the guys who sleep in open along road sides.

Both India and Pakistan have poor population and we are still developing nations....No more BS

No stink like you smell in even Chandigarh.

Come and visit the airports in Pakistan and then tell me if any Indian airport can is comparable.

lol,I love it when a pakistani member say this
now lets compare.........
Islamabad airport

Thiruvananthapuram Airport(tier III city) designed by ATKINS,UK

Conclusion: Tier III indian cities have modern glass and steel airports while all Pakistani airports are concrete blocks.....

u seen Indian roads?

My Village road is 2 lanes with proper lane markings which even this lahore road doesnt have

 

[Ticker]

Both India and Pakistan have poor population and we are still developing nations....No more BS





lol,I love it when a pakistani member say this
now lets compare.........
Islamabad airport
Thiruvananthapuram Airport(tier III city) designed by ATKINS,UK
Conclusion: Tier III indian cities have modern glass and steel airports while all Pakistani airports are concrete blocks.....
u seen Indian roads?



We will see when this tier III airport is built.

One small road display cannot change my mind. Your government need one trillion US dollars for infrastructural development. And as per their latest admission, the y have not been able to come up with this kind of money.

Any way, I've seen both sides and I assure you, believe me the roads and airports in Pakistan are much much better than those in India.

I do appreciate your effort to present your country better.