Responsibilities of Youth

Speech at Islamia College, Peshawar: April 12, 1948

Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen!

I am indeed very happy to be present here today and to have the privilege of meeting and addressing the students of this great Dar-ul-Ulum, who are the future builders of Pakistan.

.. I must warn you not to allow your actions to be guided by ill-digested information or slogans and catch-words. Do not take them to heart or repeat them parrot-like. Take advantage of your period of training that this institution offers you, by equipping yourself to become leaders of the future generation..

.. Our duty to the State often demands that we must be ready to submerge our individual or provincial interests into the common cause for common good. Our duty to the State comes first; our duty to our Province, to our district, to our town and to our village and ourselves comes next..

.. You must now realise that fresh fields, new channels and avenues are now being thrown open to you where you have unlimited opportunities, namely, you must now direct your attention to science, commercial banking, insurance, industry and technical education. You must be reading newspapers and knowing how Pakistan is moving fast..

Jinnah’s Statement at the Occasion of First Eid in Pakistan on August 18, 1947

This is our first Eid immediately following in the heralding of free independent, sovereign Pakistan having been established. I wish on this auspicious day a very happy Eid to all Muslims wherever they may be throughout the world – the Eid that will usher in, I hope, a new era of prosperity and will mark the onward march of renaissance of Islamic culture and ideals. No doubt we have achieved Pakistan, but that is only yet the beginning of an end. Great responsibilities have come to us, and equally great should be our determination and endeavor to discharge them, and the fulfilment thereof will demand of us efforts and sacrifices in the cause no less for construction and building of our nation than what was required for the achievement of the cherished goal of Pakistan.

Let us not, on this occasion, forget those of our brethren and sisters who have sacrificed their all so that Pakistan may be established and we may live. We fervently pray that their souls may rest in peace and we shall never forget the memory of those who are no more and those who have suffered.  

Parts of these speeches and statements have been edited.

That’s why 15/8 is a good time to think, ponder, be aware of your rights as a citizen of this great nation. We can overcome every hurdle, fight back every impossible odd if we cherish and insist on the freedoms we still have. For me, they rank way, way ahead of patriotism. Let us build on them.

I was born into freedom, grew up with it. So you must forgive me if I am not particularly hostile towards the British who ruled over us till 15/8 1947. You must also forgive me for not hating the Pakistanis as much as I am expected to because I never watched India being sliced into two by Jinnah’s machinations or Gandhi’s indifference, as others claim. I am a child of freedom. Not colonialism. Nor the Partition of India.

For me and millions of Indians, freedom means everything. We love asserting ourselves, even when we are in the wrong, and refuse to be cowed down by truth or fear. That’s why we chose democracy. It gave us the right to speak out without fear. And every now and then, when elections are held in different parts of India, we are surprised by the courage and wisdom of the voters. No Government, no political party, no leader has ever survived by underestimating the electorate. We saw the humiliation of Indira Gandhi in the polls, even after she won the only full fledged war this nation has ever fought. And that was because she imposed an Emergency to curb our freedoms. It destroyed her credibility. Not only was the Congress chucked out of power but she lost her own seat in Parliament to a complete crackpot called Raj Narain.

Having lived with freedom all of my life, I am surprised to find it under so much threat today. No, I am not particularly surprised when Governments try to curtail our freedom. That’s expected. Most Governments use every pretext, from national security to public weal, to try and curb our rights. Faith, caste, regional identity, developmental goals, everything is grist to the mill. The assertion of who we are is constantly at odds with what the State wants us to be. Today, for all practical purposes, each of us is just a PAN number who must be maximally taxed at every point of transaction. Soon each of us will have a UID number, our phones will be tapped, our emails read, our chats followed, our choices questioned, our rights curbed. The almighty State, run by goons, thugs and petty thieves, will become even mightier. Even though some of its most august stakeholders may be locked up in Tihar and a thick cloud of doubt and suspicion overhangs the rest.

The fact that we allow such people to rule over us has emboldened others to attempt similar tactics. The underworld gets murkier by the day and the thin dividing line between law breakers and law enforcers is disappearing. Everyone’s on the same side today, against you and I. On top of that, every kind of radical fringe wants to intimidate us, cull our freedoms, extort us. They are using the same methodologies as the State, the same arguments. They want to dictate to us what we must wear, what we can eat and drink, how we may pray to our different Gods, what books to read, what movies to watch, what art to appreciate and what to denigrate and vandalise.

This is what worries me. You can change Governments that intrude upon your personal freedoms. But you can’t change the way some people think. Burning books, harassing artists and film makers, vandalising libraries and art galleries, outlawing beer bars, beating up college girls who dress in jeans, banning alcohol for those under 25, the increase in honour killings, gender crimes, custodial deaths, and stupid, meaningless bomb blasts that kill innocent people are all different ways to attack our freedom. Now you can’t park your bike in Zaveri bazaar. You can’t go to watch a play or a movie without being frisked. You can’t wear what you want because some perverts believe it’s an invitation to rape. You can’t file your taxes and rest in peace because the system has decided to see every law abiding citizen as a likely tax evader. While the real crooks and criminals are safely ensconced within the ruling system, safe in the knowledge that power protects them.

That’s why 15/8 is a good time to think, ponder, be aware of your rights as a citizen of this great nation. We can overcome every hurdle, fight back every impossible odd if we cherish and insist on the freedoms we still have. For me, they rank way, way ahead of patriotism. Let us build on them.

Source: http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/extraordinaryissue/entry/what-15-8-stands-for

The theories on international or domestic conspiracies are popular with the societies in decay that refuse to admit that something has gone wrong with the society. Such a mindset is inimical to developing autonomous capacity to address socio-economic problems.

Pakistan will celebrate 64^th Independence Day on August 14, 2011. This provides an opportunity to large number of Pakistanis living in Pakistan or abroad to undertake a dispassionate analysis of how and why British India was divided and Pakistan was established as a sovereign and independent state.  There is a divergence of opinion on this issue. The same can be said about the inability of Pakistani state and society to address the socio-economic problems of its people.  The analysts put forward different explanations that often reflect a partisan view of the situation.

An important section of public opinion links Pakistan’s establishment and current problems to the clash of political and economic interests between the Hindus and the Muslims. They highlight more what they call the exploitation of the Muslims by the Hindus of British India. The emphasis is on contradictions between the Muslims and the Hindus which, in their view, is still relevant to addressing the current India-Pakistan relations.

The exploitation theme can be referred to as a factor in the history of Pakistan which has greater appeal for those who experienced the pre-independence society.  However, this argument loses much of its appeal to the second and the third post-independence generation that is experiencing exploitation by their countrymen, invariably the Muslims.   Unless their problems and concerns are addressed, their attitude towards that state and society is going to be influenced more by their own experience rather than the historical narratives of exploitation of the Muslims by the Hindus in the pre-independence period. Pakistani state must address their concerns and problems so that they identify closely with the state.

There are those who track the current problems to the establishment of Pakistan and the decisions made in the early years of independence.  They argue that the establishment of Pakistan was a political choice which was adopted without giving a serious thought to what was to be done subsequently.  Many decisions were made on the spur of the moment rather than taking into account the long term implications. For example, some analysts track the rise of religious extremism in Pakistan to the passing of the Objective Resolution (March 1949) that incorporated Islamic identity in the political and constitutional arrangements for the future. This is viewed by many as yielding to the pressure of Islamic clergy which the later used subsequently to justify their demand for a purely religion based political order.

The Objectives Resolution was not the beginning of emphasis on Islam but a natural corollary of the employment of Islamic identity, culture and history for political mobilization and identity formation by the All India Muslim League in the pre-independence period.  The framers of the Objectives Resolution were convinced that the modern notion of state and democracy can be combined with the teachings and principles of Islam that were viewed as the ethical foundation of the Pakistani society rather than a set of punitive and regulative injunctions.

All Pakistani constitutions direct the state to “ENABLE” the Muslims to lead their lives in accordance with the teachings and principles of Islam.  Another constitutional stipulation emphasizes that there will be no law contrary to the principles and teachings of Islam because the latter were accepted as the ethical source of guidance for the state and society.

The basic change in the role of the state from an “Enabler” to “Enforcer” of Islam came during the military rule by General Zia-ul-Haq who began to enforce Islam through state orders and machinery for achieving his domestic and foreign policy agenda. Until 1977, there is only one instance of such enforcement; the state and society generally pursued a moderate disposition towards religious issues.

The current religious and cultural intolerance and militancy is the product of the policies adopted since 1977, especially from 1979 onwards when Zia-ul-Haq embarked on enforcement of Islam to the satisfaction of orthodox and conservative Muslim clergy. It is very difficult to draw the conclusion that if the founders of Pakistan had sought a new basis of identity for Pakistan after independence Pakistan would have been free of the on-going extremism and militancy.

Another explanation talks of external conspiracies against Pakistan for undermining the pre-dominantly Muslim state and society. This discourse views all domestic and foreign policy developments as a function of religion. As the non-Muslim world is arrayed against Islam, there is a global conspiracy against Pakistan.  This means that there is nothing wrong with Pakistan and Pakistanis.

A variant of the conspiracy explanation is the well-known statement that Pakistan has all the needed natural, agricultural and human resources but the leadership is unable or unwilling to use them for the welfare of people or there is some international conspiracy for dissuading them from benefiting from these resources.

The theories on international or domestic conspiracies are popular with the societies in decay that refuse to admit that something has gone wrong with the society. Such a mindset is inimical to developing autonomous capacity to address socio-economic problems.

In the present day world, no matter how a country has come into existence and no matter what mistakes its rulers have made in the past, it cannot overcome its problems without acquiring modern knowledge and technology.   This needs to be coupled with unemotional reflection on the problems or failures. Pakistan falters on both counts and a large number of people are not willing to pay attention to improving domestic economic and political situation. They have developed the false notion of some “savior” coming forward to solve their problems.

By Dr. Hasan Askari

Lahore

On the occasion of celebration of Indian and Pakistani Independence Day over the past weekend, we spoke with some known members of the community. We asked these well known community members why it is important for us to celebrate Indian and Pakistani Independence Day especially when we are Canadians and should be much more zealous about July 1^st, the Canada Day.

While the essence of the responses is the same, the idea was expressed in different ways. Here’re some of the comments for our readers’ interest:

________________________

We’ve nostalgia about India

Generation Next may not know [about Indian heritage] but we may have nostalgia [about our countries of birth]. It’s important to stay in touch with our heritage. Every parent wants to give as much knowledge as they can about [ to their children about] where they came from. There’s incredible amount of pride in people in showcasing their Indian culture [ as was evident from India Day parade].

Ajit Khanna, Co Chair of Panorama India and the organizer of India Day parade at Dundas Square

_______________________

To contribute, we preserve our identity

When we live in a multi-cultural society such as Canada, it is especially crucial that we preserve our unique identity so that we may contribute to the vibrant mosaic of cultures that is Canada. India’s Independence Day is a momentous occasion not just for India, but for the entire world as India’s independence struggle has been a message of peace and non-violence for all humanity. Occasions such as the India day offer us an opportunity to celebrate our roots and pass on our ideals and values along with our rich and vibrant heritage onto our children, the future generation.

Kala Pillarisetty, Co Chair of Panorama India and the organizer of India Day parade at Dundas Square

____________________________

Pakistan is a mother, Canada is a sweetheart

Pakistan is like a mother and Canada is like a sweetheart. Even when we’re here, we still have ties with Pakistan. There’s nothing wrong with having loyalty with two countries, but if it comes to a choice..Canada comes first. Celebrating Pakistan Day is remembering our loves ones in Pakistan.

Andy Merchant, President of Canada-Pakistan Business Council

_____________________________

Knowledge of our past will lead to better future

We don’t have a future until you know your past. And our past, our ancestry, our heritage starts from India or Pakistan, our children should know what India and Pakistan was, is; why it got there; how it got where and we have to respect the patriots, their martyr, and that will make us great Canadians of Indian origin, or great Canadians of Pakistani origin.

Jake Dheer, Rogers’ Station Manager in Mississauga

_____________________________

Canadians celebrate the best ideas, cultures & cuisines

Canada is made up of people from around the world. All our ancestors came from some other country. Canada celebrates the best of every other culture and country. We can pick and choose the best ideas, the best parts of the culture and the best cuisine and celebrate it. India is a very important country of the world because it’s the largest democracy and we need to support democracy around the world.

MP Bob Dechert, Mississauga – Erindale

________________________________

Celebration is not nationalistic but cultural

It’s important for us to have connections to the country of our roots. It [Indian Independence Day] helps us to maintain our religion and culture. We should celebrate these events not from a nationalistic a point of view but from heritage point of view. History has proven that whenever we move away from roots, culture is lost. It’s incumbent upon society and society leaders to organize in such a way that we  bring youth back to our culture. If you look at the history, people have always been migrating, but culture and religion has never died. It’s a misnomer to say that youth is running away from culture, they’re running away from it in India.

Pandit Roopnauth Sharma – President Hindu Federation Canada

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Youth is curious to know their roots

We’re here in Canada making Canada our home. It’s extremely important to know where we’ve come from. Eventually you’ll find that our younger generation is curious of knowing their background. [It has become] so important that they want to be recognized as people coming from the motherland India.

Pandit Vishnu Sookar, President of Devi Mandir, Pickering

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Canadian tradition is celebration of cultures

It’s part of Canadian tradition for communities to celebrate their festivals. If you’re keeping your traditions while knowing that Canada comes first, that’s fine. In celebrations [like Pakistani Independence or Indian Independence], we celebrate our ancestry, our background, our ethnicity.

Khalid Usman, candidate for Ward 6 Markham Town Council

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Canada empathizes with others

Canada itself was a colony – a British colony, so it empathizes with other countries [that have been colonized]. Basically independence is a celebration, it has its pains and its pleasures. Canada still is under monarchy so Canadians have a different mentality, so if you have been colonized and if you want to celebrate your independence day, it’s fine, as long as you make an absolute commitment to Canada as your country.

MP Yasmin Ratansi, Don Valley East

India’s National Interests

India’s national interests, simply stated, are as follows :-

• National sovereignty.
• Unity and integrity of the country.
• Democratic and secular polity.
• Economic development.
• Social and economic justice.
• Favourable world order.
• Preservation and promotion of our values.

Our Strategic Vision

By tradition, India has been a peace-loving and responsible nation. It has abjured aggression, espoused the doctrine of ‘Ahimsa’ or non-violence, led the non-aligned group of nations and played a constructive role as a member of the United Nations. \

Aim

The aim of this article is to visualise the likely national security environment in 2020 with special reference to the threats and challenges that may confront us at that time, and arrive at the most appropriate force structure and equipment profile for the Indian Army of 2020.

The Geo-Strategic Environment

Two major events, roughly a decade apart, have played a major role in shaping the current geo-strategic environment. The first being the demise of the Soviet Union. The second was the ‘9-11 Event’ – the 11th September.

2001 terrorist attacks on targets in Washington DC and New York. This impelled the USA to declare ‘War on Terrorism’, and attack Afghanistan and Iraq with a ‘coalition of like-minded countries’, with the purpose of ousting their regimes, which were sponsors of terrorist groups like Al Quaeda and were hostile to the USA. The USA believed that Iraq was in possession of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

The impact of these two events are now being clearly felt in international affairs and by all indications, appear to be long lasting. We need to take note of the following major ramifications, which are specially relevant to India :-

• The USA has become hegemonic. Her style of diplomacy is increasingly becoming peremptory and coercive.
• The UN has been sidelined by the USA, which, acts at will, ignoring the need for UN’s sanction.
• The USA has adopted the doctrine of ‘Preemptive Military Intervention’. In consonance with this doctrine – threats, whether real and present or, perceived, are not allowed to mature, by use of military force.
• The USA has drawn a list of countries, which are ‘of concern’ to it. Of these, it has dealt with Afghanistan and Iraq. North Korea and Iran await similar treatment by the superpower. Recently, India has voted in favour of a USA backed resolution against Iran possibly to secure military materials, nuclear technology and fuel for civilian purposes. If India resiles from her pro-USA stance in the late November 2005 voting, the USA may deny its expectations. This would amount to dictating India’s foreign policy.

• China is neither amenable to coercion nor susceptible to being ‘contained’. Besides, because North Korea is a protégé of China, the latter has a major role in USA’s dealings with that country. The USA has also economically engaged China, as it provides a large market for US manufactured goods. The USA believes too, that as the USA-China trade gets increasingly intertwined, the likelihood of an armed conflict between the two will correspondingly reduce.
• The European Union, despite reservations on the part of some constituents, is for purposes of realpolitik pro-USA.
• Russia, because of her present economic debility, is supporting the USA or, at least, not opposing her. It may become more independent in its attitude as its economy recovers, a process that has already begun.
• Pakistan is a ‘major non-NATO ally’ of the USA and also its frontline state for the ‘War on Terrorism’. The US has troops and aircraft on Pakistan’s soil. It has been permitted to set up bases in return for huge subventions and to bail out Pakistan from the brink of a near-collapse economic situation. In effect, Pakistan has become a client state of the USA with a less than independent foreign policy.
• Terrorism, religious fundamentalism, nuclear and missile technology proliferation are pressing concerns for the US. It believes that these could ultimately pose danger to its ‘homeland’, something about which the USA is hypersensitive, or, even paranoid.

India’s Internal Security Environment, 2020

India is a rapidly developing country with a GDP growth of seven percent.  It has a huge reserve of technical manpower and strong liberal political culture, a youthful population more than half of which will be below 30 years of age in 2020.  It also has strong and apolitical armed forces. Our present concerns, which may persist in future are as under:-

• The present rate of population growth is 1.6 percent. It is imperative to bring it down to one percent by 2020-2025.
• The political culture in the country has deteriorated over the years. Communalism, sectarianism, regional parochialism, and sub-nationalism are on the rise. There is growing criminalisation of politics and a culture of ‘vote banks’ has taken root. Politicisation of the bureaucracy and the police, is well-established. The Armed Forces have, so far, been able to remain insulated from politics. Unless these evils are overcome, in 2020, we may have a nation whose internal security environment will be extremely unhealthy.
• Distributive justice with regard to sharing of revenues and the fruits of development is an imperative, if radical left movements, currently active in the country, are to be eliminated by 2015 or so.
• The separatist movements in the North-East and J & K must be amicably resolved.
• Black money and drug trafficking must be put to an end as they not only ruin the economy but also corrupt the youth.

Attention to the above areas of concern will enable India to achieve desired internal security by 2020. Let us now identify the threats and challenges India is likely to face in 2020.

Challenges. Apart from military threats, a number of non-military challenges may have to be faced by our Army in the 2020 time frame. These are as follows: -

• Human resources of appropriate quality may get drawn to the more lucrative civilian sector. The terms and conditions of service and satisfaction levels of personnel, must be made more attractive. We should also enroll more short service personnel than regular cadres to reduce pension liabilities and for better career management of officers.
• Funds allotted to the Armed Forces should be sustained at a level of three per cent of GDP for at least 12 to 15 years so as to ensure requisite modernisation and making good existing shortfalls.
• Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) must be upgraded qualitatively and top quality scientists should be inducted into it. Rightfully, their expectations of pay and research facilities will be high. These must be met.
• Private sector participation in defence R & D and development of complete systems by them, must be facilitated. Government should fund their defence research projects and give them guarantees of sizeable orders to encourage their partnership with the DRDO.
• Scientific and technical manpower will be eagerly sought by other countries. To overcome this ‘brain-drain’, we should improve the working conditions and research facilities in our country.
• The IT driven revolution in military affairs requires that the Army ‘manages’ these changes in a systematic and smooth manner. We need to create an integrated force working in an ‘unified battle space’; seamless communications; extensive exploitation of IT with excellent ‘cyber security’; top quality space based and terrestrial surveillance systems and fully operationalised C4I2 systems. This convergence of various technologies and capabilities will bestow the forces with much enhanced force-multiplier benefits through Network Centric Warfare (NCW). We have a long way to go in this regard.

• Internal contingencies of various types could retard or block the Army’s effort to achieve optimal development in the next 15 years. We need to be prepared with suitable contingency plans to overcome these ‘drag’ factors.

Doctrinal Changes

The following doctrinal changes/refinements are suggested for the Army in 2020: -

• Through superlative preparedness deter any country from engaging us in war.
• Every war in the future, must be fought in an integrated manner.
• Every war must be won with the fewest casualties and cost to us.
• Attack all the enemy’s vulnerabilities, all at one time if possible, and create an adverse impact on his will to fight.
• Manoeuvre versus Attrition. Attrition involves heavy costs to the attacker, manoeuvre places the attackers at a relative advantage over the defender. Even in the mountains, it is only by manoeuvre that the formidable, fixed defences can be captured with the minimum cost to us. Aggressive use of airborne and heliborne/heli-landed troops in conjunction with unorthodox employment of tanks and ICVs after heavy bombardment, will enable manoeuvre in mountains.
• Leadership. Despite the vast inventory of high-tech machines and instruments available to the Army and the better educated soldier of 2020, good leaders will always be prized.

Conclusion

There is no mathematical exactness about when events will transpire and whether certain aspects we have assumed as being constant will actually be so or will alter radically, putting our prognosis into error. Notwithstanding this, a few points cannot be disputed. These are: India is progressing rapidly as an economic power; its natural endowments like strategic location, rich mineral resources and a large, industrious and hardy population, befit her for great power status. Its Army is large, disciplined, battle tested and renowned throughout the world for its professional quality. Such an army should be upgraded further in quality to serve India of 2020, in a befitting manner.

Source: http://www.indiandefencereview.com/2008/01/indian-army-2020.html

For a Canadian-born desi, I have the challenge of straddling two cultures and traditions, while juggling a handful of languages – as do all Canadian-born desis. But the beauty is that we get to celebrate Canada Day on July 1, then celebrate the independence days of Pakistan and India on August 14 and 15.

My parents left India in 1976 and decided to make Canada their new home. It must have been a tough decision – to leave behind their family, friends, and the familiar and embark on an adventure with unknown questions mounting, such as: will we succeed in Canada and can we make a better life for our children?

I’m happy to report that they did well over the past 34 years and my sisters, brother and I turned out to be successful, independent, productive and well-adjusted citizens.

Muhammad Ali Jinnah

And just like India and Pakistan being carved into two new nation-states in South Asia in 1947, they turned out to be successful and productive countries, too. Their birth was one of the bloodiest in history with the largest mass migration of people.

However, we’re not just celebrating the independence of India and Pakistan, but the accomplishments they have achieved. In just 63 years, both countries have come a long way. India is the largest democracy in the world with the fastest growing economy and market. It is also an example of multiculturalism, with so many diverse religions, languages, cultures and traditions co-existing together.

Mahatma Gandhi

I haven’t had the privilege of traveling to Pakistan yet – but I am assured it is a beautiful country. I know that before partition, my family had roots in Pakistan. But that part of our family history is long forgotten, especially with the recent passing of my grandmother, who carried our history in her memory. I now regret never listening to her stories carefully and documenting it all for future reference.

Dr.Allama Iqbal

For those, like me, who identify themselves as Indo-Canadians or South Asians, we’re proud of the strides India and Pakistan has made. Successive Canadian governments have been wooing India and trying to establish deeper connections and relations.

Jawahar Lal Nehru

In the coming months, India will host the Commonwealth Games and have an opportunity to showcase its beauty, magnificence and ability to rise to even greater heights.

As we celebrate the 63rd anniversary of Pakistan and India’s independence, let’s also reflect on their accomplishments and wish both continued success.

Author:Rupinder Kaur

A recent news item about an American of Pakistani origin apprehended by authorities while attempting to return to the United States with a trunk-load of Pakistani mangoes of the chaunsa variety caught my attention. Frankly, I did not know that Canada permitted the importing of Pakistani mangoes and the United Sates did not. Nor did I know that Americans have been slipping across the U.S.-Canada border to satisfy their summer desires for this delicate fruit for several years now. Indian mangoes are widely available in the United States already, but apparently they simply don’t meet the needs or the discerning taste buds of Pakistanis living in south of the border. Hence, mango smuggling is becoming a problem to be dealt with.

This fruit challenge, however, may be about to change as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last week opened the door to helping Pakistan export its agricultural produce, including these beloved mangoes, to our southern neighbour. We can only hope!

More interesting for me, though, as a Member of Parliament representing a large Pakistani-Canadian population, as well as a large Indian-Canadian population, was the debate that was revealed in the article regarding which of these two great countries has the best mango: is it the Pakistani varieties of chaunsa and anwar ratol which are the sweetest and therefore the best, or the popular Indian alphonso, a close cousin of the Pakistani varieties? This is obviously a hot debate. From the experts, I have heard that comparing the Indian and Pakistani varieties is like comparing apples and oranges. Of course, I am going to have to develop my own palette before I can be a judge of this. If anyone would like to influence me, I can let them know where to deliver a case or two of their favourite mangoes!

As we approach the 63^rd anniversary of the Independence of India and the Independence of Pakistan (often known as partition), Canadians of all backgrounds hope and pray that the biggest disagreement that these two neighbours will ever have is over which has the sweetest mangoes! We know that that has not always been the case; the history of these two great countries has been at times slightly difficult and at other times extremely conflicted. In recent years, however, there is increased cooperation and signs that these two neighbours recognize that they have much more in common with each other than not.

While language, religion and some cultural traditions may be different, while history is still shaped by some historic disagreements and misunderstandings, these two democratic countries are bound together with a shared history and, even more importantly, a future that is intimately linked together. Their own future, and the future of the world, depends on their working together for the good of all. South Asia, Afghanistan, Iran and the Caucuses constitute a region in much turmoil. The maturity and cooperation of India and Pakistan will be critical to ensure that terrorism is curtailed, that economic opportunities are maximised and that a just and lasting peace for the entire region is ensured.

Canadians of Pakistani and Indian origin can play a key role in ensuring that this becomes a reality. Through family and business connections, South Asians have both a great opportunity to influence this situation directly. They can do so also indirectly through shaping Canada’s contribution on the world stage. Canada needs to regain its international prominence as a leader in human rights, peaceful interventions, diplomacy and development. Indo and Pakistani Canadians will lead the way for us on Canadian business, trade and foreign policy in the area they once called home.

May I extend my warmest greetings to all Canadians for whom these Independence days are important and meaningful.

Mr. Robert Oliphant represents Don Valley West, Toronto at House of Commons.

India established diplomatic relations with Canada in 1947. India and Canada have longstanding bilateral relationship based on shared democratic values, the multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-religious nature of two societies and strong people-to-people contacts. In recent years, both countries have been working to enhance bilateral cooperation in a number of areas of mutual importance.

Canada is endowed with vast natural reserves in potash, uranium, coal, oil and gas, diamonds, forest products, etc. and offers good opportunities for investments or joint ventures for India. Canada with its advanced technological base can become India’s natural partner in energy, agriculture, food processing, education, science and technology, innovation, environment, cleaner technologies, etc. India would welcome investment from Canada in sectors such as infrastructure, energy, mining, health, education, communication, food processing, information technology, etc.

At the invitation of the Indian PM Dr. Manmohan Singh, Canadian PM Mr. Stephen Harper paid his first official visit to India from 15-18 November 2009. The two Prime Ministers reviewed bilateral relations and discussed regional and global issues of shared interest including G-20, counter-terrorism, etc. and agreed on initiatives to strengthen and diversify bilateral relations. Both the leaders recognized education as an area of new momentum, the need to facilitate mutually beneficial linkages in science, technology and innovation as well as to build synergies between institutions of higher learning in India and Canada.

The two leaders set a trade target of $ 15 billion annually in the next five years. It was also announced that the Year of India will be celebrated in locations across Canada in 2011. Two important MoUs were signed, namely, MoU for Cooperation in the area of Energy and the MoU for the setting up of a Joint Study Group that will explore the possibility of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between India and Canada.

2009 also witnessed visit of 11 Canadian ministers to India both at federal and provincial levels including high level official visits. In 2009, a number of important agreements were concluded, namely, MoU on Agriculture Cooperation and MoU for Cooperation in Geospatial Information. Other agreements under preparation are: Social Security Agreement, MoU on Cultural Cooperation, MoU on Cooperation in Combating Drug Trafficking, Agreement on Civil Nuclear Cooperation, MoU for Cooperation in the Mining Sector, Transfer of Prisoners Agreement, etc.

Bilateral relations are pursued through the mechanism of annual Foreign Office Consultations, Trade Policy Consultations, Strategic Dialogue, meetings of S&T Committee, Joint Working Group on Counterterrorism, Environment Forum Committee, Joint Working Groups on Pulses, Plant Protection, Health, Agriculture and SPS issues.

India and Canada have also signed the Air Services Agreement, Extradition Treaty, Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty, Agreement on Patents, Agreement on Agriculture, S&T Agreement, MoU on Energy, etc. In the education field, the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute (SICI) was founded in 1968 to promote academic relations mainly through funding research and linking academic institutions in the two countries; as of today, 50 universities from India and 38 from Canada are members of the Institute. SICI broadly meets its objective by promoting Canadian Studies in India and Indian Studies in Canada.

Trade INDIA-CANADA BILATERAL TRADE DURING 2005-2009

[Figures in billion Canadian Dollars]

Details 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

India’s Exports

to Canada

1.786 1.919 1.980 2.202 2.002

India’s Imports

from Canada

1,087 1.675 1.792 2.418 2.144

Total 2.873 or

US$ 2.371 bn

3.594 or

US$ 3.169 bn

3.772 or

US$ 3.508 bn

4.620 or

US$ 4.330 bn

4.146 or

US$ 3.630 bn

[Source: Statistics Canada]

Major Items of Indian Exports are: Garments, diamonds, chemicals, gems and jewellery, made-up, sea food, engineering goods, auto parts, marble and granite, knitted garments, rice, electric equipment, carpets, etc. Major items of Canada’s export to India are: Pulses, fertilizers, newsprint, ores and concentrates, wheat, communication equipment, wood pulp, nickel, ferrous waste, asbestos, laboratory equipment, worn clothing, aviation equipment, diamond, silver, etc.

Investment:

Canadian investors are present in the Indian banking, insurance and financial services sectors, as also in engineering and consultancy services. Canadian investment in India has targeted telecommunications, environment, energy and mining. Indian investment in Canada has increased steadily in the recent years, especially in the information technology and software sectors. The two-way investment data for the period 2004-2008 is as under:

[Figures in million Canadian dollars]

Details 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

India’s investments in Canada 92 171 211 430 1022

Canada’s investments in India 214 319 806 644 801

[Source: Statistics Canada]

Indian community

Canada is home to 962,670 people of Indian origin (2006 Census). Out of this population, 50% are Sikhs, 39% are Hindus, and the remainder are Muslim, Christian, Jain, Buddhist, etc. Majority of them live in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary. There is also a presence of ethnic media, both print and electronic, in different regions of Canada. There are currently 9 Indo-Canadian MPs in the House of Commons and two in the Senate. There are approximately 7,300 Indian students studying in various Canadian universities/colleges.

Air India and Jet Airways have regular flights to Canada from India. State Bank of India, ICICI Bank, Government of India Tourist Office, Air India and Jet Airways have offices in Canada. Many renowned Indian companies have presence in Canada such as Tata, Aditya Birla, Reliance, Essar, etc. and reputed Indian IT companies have opened branches in Canada.

Canada has established Trade Offices in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and New Delhi. Reputed Canadian companies such as Bombardier, SNC Lavalin, CAE, Inc., etc. have a presence in India for the past several years.

Source: http://meaindia.nic.in/

The two giants of South Asia will celebrate the birth of their nations this month. Both India and Pakistan will turn 63 years old in August, but it’s clear they have been on the path of social, economic and cultural domination long before their independence from colonial Britain in 1947.

Their birth came from a bloody beginning – the partition of India and Pakistan created the world’s largest migration of people between two neighbouring borders. I can’t imagine walking away from my ancestral home and moving across the border to start life again in a newly-carved out nation. But that was a reality to millions of people.

After 63 years, both countries have shown their strength and determination to be considered a player on the global stage. Western countries, including Canada, are eager to open up markets and strike bilateral trade agreements.

My riding of Toronto-Danforth is one of the most multicultural and diverse. It has a large South Asian population and is home to the world-famous Gerrard India Bazaar where you can find gems from the entire subcontinent of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and more – all running thriving businesses in the heart of Toronto for decades. It’s the definition of multiculturalism at its best and what makes Canada an example in the world. I’m looking forward to celebrating the Independence Days of Pakistan and India on Gerrard Street with the local business owners and community members.

I also have the distinct pleasure of representing the Gerrard India Bazaar in the House of Commons, as it is in my riding. The rare treasures one can find on Gerrard Street – from beautiful fashions and jewellery, to music and groceries, to the most amazing restaurants our city has to offer, is indeed a treasure we cherish. The street signs on Gerrard are labelled “Toronto’s Discovery District” – I encourage all Canadians to take advantage and discover it for themselves.

But these independence days aren’t just an opportunity to celebrate the birth of these nations – it’s an opportunity to celebrate their achievements. Both Indians and Pakistanis have contributed to Canada in numerous ways. For over 100 years, the South Asian and Indo-Canadian communities have been contributing to the strength of our country. From being successful Members of Parliament to CEOs of banks, from talented writers to gifted artists, from amazing athletes to innovative entrepreneurs – the South Asian community is a leader in so many ways.

During the recent G8 and G20 summits in Toronto, I had a chance to meet with Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. I was impressed with his presence and leadership. I look forward to working with him in the future and building a similar rapport and relationship with the Pakistani government.

During my meetings and interaction with the South Asian youth across the country, I’m amazed at the pride they show for both cultures – their homeland in the East and their birthplace in the West. Straddling both must be difficult, but that’s the beauty of multiculturalism in Canada – all Canadians are encouraged to hold onto the ties of the familial.

So as you celebrate 63 years, I wish you all the best. Happy Birthday India. Happy Birthday Pakistan.

On a personal note, I am saddened to hear of the deaths and destruction in Pakistan due to the flooding. Many people of Pakistani-descent live in my riding and my heart and support goes to their families during this tragedy.

Jack Layton is the leader of National Democratic Party. He represents Toronto—Danforth at the House of Commons.

I was at an event organized by InterNations, when a newly arrived real estate agent from India walked up to me. We started talking. After a few seconds, as we spoke in a mixture of English, Hindi and Urdu, she asked, “Where’re you from originally?” I responded “Pakistan.” She put her arm behind my back and cheerfully said, “That’s great. We’re neighbours.” And we went back to discuss her experiences as a new immigrant and talked about difficulties for South Asian youth and young adults in finding jobs and so on.

The sentiment that we’re South Asians in Canada is a dominant one. During the course of my work for Generation Next, I’ve met many young adults who have visited India and Pakistan during their summers or at some cousin’s wedding, however these youth are on very good terms with one another. They go to each other’s homes, eat at their places and enjoy Eid and Diwali and Baiskahi and Navratri at the same time.

But this is about the youth. What about the adults? One of my colleagues told me how a Sikh friend had come over to her home for a stay. While this friend referred to Baba Ji when saying her thank you prayers, her mom got quite annoyed and said that everything happens with the will of Allah.

Muhammad Ali Jinnah once firmly believed in Hindu-Muslim unity, Mahatama Gandhi was a strong proponent of non-violence and living together of people of subcontinent, yet Indians and Pakistanis have fought wars, have nuclear warheads on the go-mode at a moments disagreement. It’s hard to believe, how all the good will gestures are forgotten in a heartbeat and the worst lingers on for so long, casting its malicious pangs in the relationship.

People of subcontinent have lived together to nurture a civilization that inspires awe and admiration. At times, it’s hard to tell whether a woman wearing shalwar kameez walking down the streets of Toronto is from India or Pakistan. And if you routinely go to Bollywood shows that are held throughout the summer in the GTA, you’d be surprised to see how we are all there, regardless of whether we are Gujrati, Punjabi, Sindhis, Pathans and so on. The music and the culture and the dances bring us all on to one platform where the differences are forgotten. On these occasions even our parents who have imported the prejudices of their generation lay them down to have fun.

Nonetheless, it is North America that has brought all of us together. We may still have our biases or prejudices, but we have checked them to be united for common goals. We live in a country that stands for democracy and individual’s rights. We’ve gone to schools and colleges here and we have developed a culture that is in transition of integrating the past with the future.

Canada-America relationship is a beacon of hope in our lives. In a global world that we live in, showing your ID at the border can take you to another country, for you to enjoy Niagara Falls from both sides of the border. Yes, we have our issues here in North America too, but those issues have not come in the way of progress in trade and developing man-to-man relationship.

If South Asians in Canada can as easily cross the border between the US and Canada, doesn’t it sound unreasonable that people of Pakistan be denied the visit to Shimla and Nanital, and Amritsar. By the same token why can’t people of India visit Lahore and Kalam and Kaghan.

It’s heartbreaking to know that cattle can wander off freely between India and Pakistan, but human beings don’t have the same privilege. Once in a while when poor fishermen cross the border without knowing that they have left their country, they are arrested and subjected to years’ of humiliation and torture.

When we look back at 63 years of independence of the two largest countries of South Asia: India and Pakistan, we have to look at what these countries have accomplished at a human level. Do they respect the rights of women and individuals? Are people living above the poverty line? Are there jobs for the youth? Is enough money allocated to education sector? Is the focus on growth of IT and energy related sectors.  It’s interesting how people of India and Pakistan agree that on-the-surface inflammatory remarks are only politicians’ way of attracting headlines in the media, yet when elected these politicians put aside the broader vision to achieve short sighted goals.

North America has taught South Asians to live together. However, the burden to have the same fortune for Indians and Pakistanis lies with South Asian youth in North America. This society has made us conscientious of not to be biased and to accept each other and to be tolerant of our views. We are the ones who can advocate loosening up the borders so that as we see the Falls, we can cross Wagha border too.

Author: Asma Amanat