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The News International, Wednesday, March 17, 2010 AN INITIATIVE OF THE TIMES OF INDIA AND JANG GROUP OF PAKISTAN

A story of hope
The story of Ateeqs release is the story of concerted efforts by activists, journalists and lawyers who prevailed upon the governments of India and Pakistan to move beyond the protocols and formalities on humanitarian grounds
hen 13-year By Arshad Dogar old Ateeq went off to side for some time, then de- about how he came to be in play cricket cided to go to his aunts India, then gave him dinner and fly kites home. He was weeping when and allowed him to sleep in on January 10, 2010 at he reached Ravi Toll Plaza, his room. For his family, the ordeal around 2:30 pm, he never where two men asked him thought that he would not see why he was crying. Ateeq told started at around 8 pm on Jan his home in Shahdara, Lahore, them that his father had 10, when neighbourhood chilfor the next two months scolded him and he was going dren asked about him. That is time that would be spent in an to his aunts home. He says when they realised he was Indian prison, for having ille- they bundled him up in a missing. They learnt where he gally crossed the border. shawl after which he does not was only three days later, after getting a call from Indian adHe is lucky that his ordeal know what happened. . Sharma. lasted just two months: most ilWhen he gained conscious- vocate D.P Ateeq was sent to the juvelegal border-crossers find ness the next day (Jan 11) he themselves prison for years, was in the custody of the In- nile prison in Hoshiarpur on serving sentences and then dian police at Attari Railway January 13. The next day, a lawyer DP Sharma came to waiting for more time even Station. after their release while their At Attari Railway station, me and listened to my achome countries process paper- when Ateeq could not produce count. He also called my parwork and other formalities. a visa or ticket, a police offi- ents. He was very sympathetic The story of Ateeqs re- cial slapped his face twice. and educated me on how the lease is the story of concerted Fortunately, another police of- courts work. He added that the Indian efforts by activists, journalists ficial at Attari, a Station and lawyers who prevailed House Officer (SHO) inter- police and jail administration upon the governments of vened, and took the boy to the were very kind to him during India and Pakistan to move police station. The SHO ob- his imprisonment. They never beyond the protocols and tained details from Ateeq misbehaved with me even for a formalities on humanitarian grounds. It is a story of hope, and an indication of how such efforts can contribute to breaking the ice between Pakistan and India and lead to peace and harmony in the region. Now safely back in Lahore, Ateeq looks back at what now seems like a bad dream. My entire family, except my father, had gone to my uncles home in Baghbanpura to attend an engagement ceremony that day, Ateeq told The News, recalling how it all began. When he returned home at around 5 pm and knocked at Policemen escort Pakistani prisoner Mohammad Ateeq the door, his father, angry at (13) to the India-Pakistan Wagah border on Friday. AFP the boys late return, refused photo published in The Hindu, March 13, 2010 to open it. Ateeq waited out-

single day, at any time. They even provided us with extra food. This inadvertently led to quarrels with the local (Indian) juvenile prisoners who wanted a share. Back in Lahore, Ateeqs mother fell ill with worry, and his sister and younger A family reu nit brother pined for him. His Ahmad, his ed from left to right, Ateeq's siste r Fa mother Naseem Ak father Malik Iftikhar Ahmad htar and younger iza, Ateeq, his father Malik Iftikhar brother Muhamm ran from pillar to post trying ad Umar to secure his release and repa- Feb 19, and carried a promi- appeartriation. He went to the For- nent report about the case ance before the Indian Court boy. She eign Office in Islamabad to (Feb 20). (Juvenile Justice Board) at the said when she met Ateeq she provide Ateeqs particulars. found him traumatised. FortuFrom Lahore, HRCP Chair- hearing on Feb 26. However, they took no action, person and prominent advoAsma Jahangir took along nately, as she noted, the Inhe told The News. cate Asma Jahangir crossed a video film of Ateeqs father dian authorities had a positive Iftikhars father-in-law the border to make a personal as well as some clothes for the attitude regarding the issue. then referred him to Anees Ahmad Khan, president of the Youth Welfare Organization, Lahore who in turn referred him to advocate Asad Jamal. Ateeq said he encountered at least four young Pakistanis at Hoshiarpur That is when things started Juvenile Jail, who were held on similar. He said his fellow inmates referred to moving. Asad Jamal sent an him as an angel, believing that their cases would also be given due appeal for help to various attention after Ateeqs return. friends, including representaOne of them, identified as Nauman Arshad, 14, is the son of a schoolteacher tives of Aman ki Asha. One of Tahira Bibi, resident of Singhpura. He left home saying he was going to take an them, a journalist in Karachi contacted journalists in India. exam but did not return -- he apparently slipped into India on January 12, 2010. Subsequently, The Hindu sent His mother Tahira Bibi has appealed to Chairperson of HRCP Asma Jahangir and a reporter to attend Ateeqs representatives of Aman ki Asha for his release. court hearing in Amritsar on

More young Pakistani prisoners

At the hearing, the juvenile court found the boy innocent and ordered his immediate release. The court order led to jubilation among the local lawyers and activists, who distributed sweets. The Indian police also gave Ateeq a school uniform, sweets, a suit of trousers and shirt, shoes and a bag. They also returned Ateeqs wallet, which contained Pakistani Rs 85, his father told The News. However, Ateeq had to remain in prison for another couple of weeks, until the completion of the necessary formalities from the Pakistan side. Talking to the media, Asma Jahangir stressed that it was time to boost moral and ethical values among Pakistan and India in order to create peace and harmony in the region. On Friday March 12, Ateeq returned home late at night, greeted joyfully at Wagah border by family and civil society representatives who garlanded him with roses. There were smiles and tearful embraces. His family distributed sweetmeats among their friends, neighbours and dear ones. The following day, March 13, their house was crowded with neighbours and relatives wanting to see him and congratulate his parents. Slowly, life is returning to normal for them. Ateeq missed his class 7 exams, his school principal has promised to promote Ateeq to class 8 keeping in view the tribulations he has undergone. His family is particularly thankful to the Indian and Pakistani governments, HRCP Chairperson Asma Jahangir, Indian police, Indian lawyer DP . Sharma, Pakistani lawyer Asad Jamal, Pakistani and Indian media and representatives of Aman Ki Asha for helping to bring back Ateeq within two months. It looked impossible but sincere efforts of certain people had helped reuniting us with our son, Ateeqs father said.

December 16, 1971 and after

When the enemy isnt

Perwez Abdullah provides a first hand account of how Indian soldiers, bound by the ties of ethnicity rather than religion, helped and protected a community of fellow-Biharis in newly liberated Bangladesh

he shock, disbelief and dismay of the Urdu-speaking populace of Dhaka on December 16, 1971 had given way to fear and the realisation that indeed the inevitable had happened and now it was time to save their lives from the onslaught of the Mukti Bahini (Liberation Force). Muhammadpur and Mirpur, the only localities with Urdu-speaking majorities saw a mad rush as people from various other localities converged there, seeking safety in numbers. My brother who worked for Habib Bank Limited called his colleague, Aziz Ahmed who had a two-storey house at Taj Mahal Road (interestingly most the roads and streets were named after Mughal rulers or related to them). Luckily the ground floor was vacant -the tenant, a Chinioti businessman, had gone to West Pakistan. Aziz Ahmed opened the portion for our family. By afternoon our cousins and their families joined us. The talk of the time was: What will happen now? It was a gloomy environment and everybody was apprehensive. Fear loomed large about a bloodbath of the Urdu-speaking community, something that had already happened in the small towns of East Pakistan after March 3, 1971. It was just before sunset when several truckloads of Indian army troops arrived in Muhammadpur and Mirpur. I vividly remember the tired soldiers in their olive green uniforms, carrying long guns. There was anxiety among us as we witnessed the arrival of the victorious army. As it transpired, many spoke in Bihari accents, some even spoke the Bhojpuri dialect we perfectly understood. One of the soldiers informed us that their battalion consisted of soldiers from Bihar and their commandant was one Major

at Dhaka College where I was a second year student of Intermediate Science I had some scholarship money due to me that I had not received for some time. One of the soldiers accompanied me. I encountered steely eyes and curious glances as we passed through the streets and reached the Dhanmandi area. The presence of a single soldier from the Indian army kept people at bay. The Bengali principal Dr Hafeezuddin Ahmed was sympathetic as well as very helpful. He gave me money from his own pocket. I filled the form, signed it and gave it to Dr Ahmed. I do not know if my worthy and adored principal was ever reimbursed. Most of the Bihari community was selling Women marching in the streets of Dhaka. 1971. valuables to keep body Rashid Talukder; Children amidst shells. and soul together. My Abdul Hamid Raihan. Photos: Drik/Majority cousin wanted to sell World his Philips black and white TV set. I menthe Indian army or government tioned that to one of the soldiers and lo had realised the gravity of the sit- and behold -- a young Captain turned up uation and tried to prevent a fur- the next morning to buy the set. My ther massacre. We found the In- cousin insisted upon giving it for free. The dian soldiers to be friendly, even Captain refused, and gave a better than diffident. Four soldiers came to market price for a second hand set. Inthe house where we were staying deed there are no boundaries for sterling and engaged us in conversation. character and honesty of purpose. They asked if we were from This real life drama would be incomBihar. We replied in affirmative. plete without mention of another episode. Two of them told us that An aunt who was in her home, alone, in they came from near Koelwar in old Dhaka, called for help -- a crowd had Shahabad (Arrah) district, 40 km from surrounded the house and was preparing Patna. My bhabi (brothers wife) was also to loot it. I informed the two soldiers from from there. The soldiers (who were Hindu) Koelwar about this. They roped in two asked for details. They were impressed by more soldiers and we went to my aunts the information that her maternal grandfa- house. The crowd ran away when they ther was a Darogha (Sub-Inspector of Po- saw the Indian soldiers. We brought back lice, a post that inspired awe in British the aunt to Muhammadpur. The most interesting part of the incitimes). They left, but returned half an hour later and announced that they would stand dent is the short speech that one of the soldiers from Koelwar made. He repriguard at the gates of the house. It seemed so odd but reassuring, a real manded some onlookers for bothering the blessing in disguise. It was not religion but lady, pointing out that she was a Muslim and so were they. ethnicity that bound them to us. It is indeed difficult to fathom human Since the banks Bengali employees had frozen my brothers bank account we nature, and the twists and turns that hapwere out of cash. I decided to try my luck pen with unforeseen circumstances.

Abbas. Their tone and body language was sympathetic and they assured that nobody would hurt us. Our surprise turned into relief as it became evident that some senior officials in

I have always received love and affection in India, where I am working in a number of films. I wish more people from India would come to Pakistan and find out for themselves how Pakistanis have the same feelings for Indians. As an actor I feel that there should be greater cultural exchanges between our two countries.
Javed Sheikh,
actor

A nationality-less thing called Bollywood

A Delhi-wali transplanted to Karachi is taken aback to discover that we are in fact very different people. But, she argues, it is time to understand, celebrate and proudly own what is common between us, rather than constantly fight over differences
he Indian government had a while ago issued an advisory to its citizens about traveling to Pakistan. But in the (un)likely event that you do go ahead and visit anyway, here is something that you must have to get by: a thorough knowledge and understanding of the workings of the Hindi film industry, which automatically becomes a nationality-less thing once its called Bollywood. Information about current releases and old, hairstyles and indeed hairstylists of stars, where they live (why/how in a flat?), where they shop, their love interests (thats a tough one to keep pace with, but youd better know it), the names of their pets, maids, cook, and if you know these, then you will no doubt know the name of their kids. Why yes why, Malaika Arora Khan dresses the way she does youve got to know it, youre Indian after all. I was completely unprepared for this when I first visited Pakistan three years ago. One day into the trip and I realized that I was proving to be a hopeless disappointment wherever I went. Because seven times out of ten, after pleasantries had been exchanged I would be asked if I had met Amitabh Bachchan. Men, women, boys and girls everyone had this question for me. By the end of that first day I had begun to feel sorry for myself for not having met him, a sentiment that has since persisted. By the second day I had a strategy in place. My answer now began with a soft, hurried no, but was followed by an emphatic, dramatic but I have met Shahrukh Khan. Redemption and interest thus (re)gained, I moved on to tackle other challenges. I am clearly the anomaly I had resorted to making up stories about who was seeing who in Bollywood, till I forgot my own lies and was found out. But for every me, there are ten other people who will happily and with relish dole out information and stories By Anisa Khan guilty love, now is the time to shed that guilt. Mind you there is an equal if not larger number that is unapologetic for it. This is fortunately one of the few things that a relatively smaller number of people on either side will find contentious. Noises about cultural imperialism from them; and Shiv Sena like protestations from us notwithstanding, we have to take serious note of the fact, that this here is something both sides can by and large agree on. The movies have shown the way where others have failed. Cricket, another great leveler, falls short only because, it is in the end competitive. Entire generations have grown up with passed on notions that people on either side are really the same people who look the same, eat the same food, speak the same language etc. The truth is that over the last 62 years, the two countries have done their growing up separately. Good or bad; they have emerged with identities of their own. What was of the past should remain there. I have had the privilege to observe both societies very closely and compassionately, and was quite taken aback to discover that we are in fact very different people. We have fewer similarities than differences. But it is time to understand, celebrate and proudly own what is common between us, rather than constantly be fighting over differences. Just as Bollywood becomes a nationality-less thing, so should something so much more tangible as perhaps our shared history. We have to learn to agree on just a few things to make it work. Begin with the basics and gradually work our way up. It is time to change our approach. So far we have only known how to argue, disagree and snub each other. To give peace a real chance, maybe it is time to work with a much smaller, handlable list that of the few things we actually agree on.

that they do actually know. The truth is that the love for films and Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan and all things Bollywood, is really a lot to go by in terms of understanding the dynamics of the troubled relationship that the two countries have cultivated. It is an anthropologists delight. It proves that at some basic level, there are a few things that both our people can claim ownership over. So what if the films are made in Mumbai? Turn to any en-

tertainment program on Pakistani television, and it is heartwarming to see Bollywood being spoken of with such ownership. If Bollywood were a private limited company, the Pakistani people would be shareholders, for their sheer, unadulterated love for it. And now with Pakistani artistes (singers and actors) tempering the Bollywood potboiler, their claim is as valid as any. So as a Pakistani, if for you this was a

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