Page 19 - Pakistan Link - August 21, 2020

COMMUNITY
“India and Pakistan: Searching for Humanity in South Asia”
R n By William Shriver
elations between India and
Pakistan have entered a
period of darkness, as the
Indian and Pakistani govern-
ments refuse to engage in any
sort of dialogue.
The South Asian
giants continue to
spar over a range
of issues, including
Kashmir and tense
Hindu-Muslim rela-
tions. However, this period of si-
lence stands in contrast with that
of the South Asian scholarly and
academic community, which has
worked to bring Indians and Paki-
stanis together to build bridges.
On August 6th, I had the op-
portunity to attend an extraordi-
nary closed-door event hosted by
the Institute of Strategic Studies
Islamabad, featuring a special lec-
ture by Ambassador Akbar Ahmed
with Professor Rajmohan Gandhi as
the discussant. The discussion was
moderated by the former Foreign
Secretary of Pakistan and former
Pakistani Ambassador to the US, Ai-
zaz Ahmad Chaudhry. Ambassador
Ahmed is best known as “the world’s
leading authority on contemporary
Islam” as quoted by the BBC, and
Prof. Gandhi is an internationally
known humanist, author and the
grandson of Mahatma Gandhi.
The conversation was attended
by numerous Pakistani and Indian
scholars, academics, diplomats, and
ambassadors. Even as distinguished
Pakistani and Indian scholars, both
speakers displayed great respect for
one another. Prof. Gandhi noted
“My good friend, Ambassador Ak-
bar Ahmed Sahib...He is a scholar
who seeks in word and deed to be
a reconciler...I respect him for this” ended on one note: the India and
and Ambassador Ahmed stated that
he is “honored to be conversing with
Prof. Gandhi and building a bridge
of dialogue with a great scholar.”
This conversation has come at a cru-
cial time as India-Pakistan relations
have nosedived and the countries
seem to be reading different pages
of different books.
In his lecture, Ambassador
Ahmed dove into what he saw as
the key issues facing India and Paki-
stan in this time of what he called,
citing the French philosopher Ber-
nard Henri Levy, the age of mad-
ness. Ambassador Ahmed split his
talk into three portions: madness,
hatred, and hope. He first argued
that the age of coronavirus is re-
vealing the divisions of South Asian
society, as India and Pakistan exist
in a bubble of hyper-madness. This
bubble of madness is manifested in
the mood of extreme hate and na-
tionalism in India today. As India
and Pakistan huff and puff against
one another, the possibility of nu-
clear engagement is very real. With
the addition of the United States and
China in South Asia, there are now
four nuclear armed nations rubbing
up against each other in and around
the Kashmir region.
Ambassador Ahmed continued
his argument with the belief that this
age of madness comes from a period
of hatred in South Asia. The Hindu
population sees historical humilia-
tion of Muslim rule for centuries in
the subcontinent, while the Muslim
population sees the continued Hin-
du prejudice and violence against
Muslims in India. This reality creates
a paradigm of fear and deep division
AUGUST 21, 2020 – PAKISTAN LINK – P19
The India and Pakistan that we see today are not Gandhi’s and Jinnah’s visions. Both nations have evolved away from their At the end of the day, this pe-
founding vision into something much harsher and uglier riod of hostile silence between In-
dia and Pakistan is not sustainable.
between South Asian Hindus and and Pakistan who speak out and mighty will someday show the right These honest conversations between
Muslims. Ahmed argues that the protect the marginalized minorities path to the peoples and rulers of Indian and Pakistani civil society
harsh lockdown in Kashmir, Hindu- and the weak, as both governments countries in South Asia.” leaders are an excellent place to be-
tva lynching of Indian Muslims, and have failed to do so. gin in the resumption of dialogue.
the Citizenship Amendment Act all Prof. Gandhi exclaimed that In this period of tense relations India and Pakistan should take this
make Muslims second-class citizens “the megaphone has been seized by between the governments and the call for dialogue and humanity from
in their own land. merchants of hate” in both nations. people of India and Pakistan, two Ambassador Ahmed and Prof. Gan-
Even though the founders However, similar to the sentiment South Asian scholars of opposite dhi very seriously, as they are setting
Gandhi and Nehru promoted reli- from Ahmed, this seizure does not sides were able to come together an excellent example. Both speak-
gious coexistence, their vision of a tell the whole story of Hindus and for a civil discourse on not only In- ers projected hope for the future of
pluralistic India is quickly fading. Muslims in South Asia. Many In- dia and Pakistan, but on the greater the region and faith in the human-
With today’s news, it may seem that dians and Pakistanis wish to come implications of Hindu-Muslim rela-
Hindus and Muslims are nothing together – as this event is an ex- tions. Both Prof. Gandhi and Am- The dialogue has
but enemies, but Ahmed believes ample of exactly that. Prof. Gandhi bassador Ahmed urged more South already had a
that this an incorrect reading of his- finished his talk with the discussion Asians to reach across to the other
tory. Ahmed spoke of his time with of Lord Ram, to which he claimed side and learn more about each significant impact in
Hindu scholar other in an effort of bridge-building South Asia. Leading
Nirad C. Chaud-
huri, ex-Supreme and dialogue. Indian politician
Court Judge V. R. This conver- and intellectual
Krishna Iyer and Sudheendra Kulkarnj
numerous other sation between has observed:
Hindus as his per- two esteemed “Reading your
sonal warm and scholars high- article on Nayadaur.
welcoming experi- lighted the many tv, based on your
ences with Indian reasons why I recent lecture in
Hindus. While chose to study Islamabad, gave me
this idea of hope South Asia. First- great joy. It is full of
was based off of ly, more work has wisdom, as all your
personal accounts, to be put in to writings are...These
it demonstrates avoid a nuclear are depressing times
that Indian and war. Though not for India-Pakistan
Pakistanis, Hin- many Americans and India-China
dus and Muslims, realize it, four relations. But we
can foster genuine nuclear powers must persevere. The
relationships. The are now one skir- idea of Shanti and
headlines of India mish away from Salaam, which you
and Pakistan of to- Ambassador Akbar Ahmed and Professor Rajmohan Gandhi possibly firing a have so persuasively
day do not paint a nuclear weapon. explained in your
complete picture of Hindu-Muslim “Ram is a loved name for the un- Secondly, at their article, is bound
relations, and this discussion be- born, undying, and all merciful all very best, In- to win. We must
tween Prof. Gandhi and Ambassa- mighty, called by different names by dia and Pakistan continue our
dor Ahmed exemplifies exactly why. anxious human beings all over the showcase what is so important in a duty, firm in our
Concluding his lecture, Ahmed world.” democracy and the lessons that we conviction that
The dialogue has already had can learn from Gandhi and Jinnah. God Almighty will
Pakistan that we see today are not a significant impact in South Asia. Both Pakistan and India envisioned someday show the
Gandhi’s and Jinnah’s visions. Both Leading Indian politician and in- nations where the rights of all were right path to the
nations have evolved away from tellectual Sudheendra Kulkarnj has protected, regardless of religion or peoples and rulers of
their founding vision into some- observed: “Reading your article on class. Gandhi and Jinnah had a vi- countries in South
thing much harsher and uglier. Fol- Nayadaur.tv, based on your recent sion not seen in many other world
lowing the lecture, Prof. Gandhi lecture in Islamabad, gave me great leaders, and those of us in the West Asia.”
opened by saying that Ahmed “has joy. It is full of wisdom, as all your can greatly learn from their vision.
been franker about India’s depar- writings are...These are depressing Lastly, I aspire to learn more about ity of its people. Without dialogue,
ture from Gandhi and Nehru, than times for India-Pakistan and India- both India and Pakistan, as the an uglier more violent confronta-
about Pakistan’s departure from Jin- China relations. But we must perse- United States is a firm ally of both tion could easily become a reality in
nah.” He firmly agreed that both In- vere. The idea of Shanti and Salaam, nations. However, with the current South Asia.
dia and Pakistan have moved away which you have so persuasively ex- environment of zero dialogue, the
from their founding vision. Prof. plained in your article, is bound to American bilateral relationships in (William Shriver is a former
Gandhi said that he wants to praise win. We must continue our duty, South Asia are endangered. Am- intern with the Bureau of South
the “silent servants” in both India firm in our conviction that God Al- bassador Ahmed and Prof. Gandhi and Central Asia at the US Depart-
shed light and hope on all three of ment of State, the Woodrow Wilson
these issues, offering perspectives Center, Hudson Institute, and Asia
from both sides. Society Policy Institute. He is also
a recent graduate of the School of
International Service at American
University, focusing on South Asia.
He can be reached at: shriverwil-
liam@gmail.com)
www.PakistanLink.com