Re: Please share partition stories
During that time, there was a lot of hatred on both sides of the newly-defined border. And both people committed atrocities against each other. I’m not going to get into a debate of who started it and how it ended and all that. I know people on both sides who died. So allow the useless arguments.
My great-grandfather during his time was very influential personality in our native town. My Nana Abbu tells us now, at the time of the partition the locals were attacking Hindus in retaliation for massacres of Muslims leaving India. He gave shelter to the entire Hindu population in the mohalla in his dera and then with my grandfather, they stood at the dera with rifles, to deter anyone getting any ideas about harming these people. After the initial frenzy had subsided, he gave a talk to his mohalla and after he was done he had managed to convince the people to help him in the cause of protecting these people who had been friends or associates or neighbours just a few months ago! So then armed to the teeth, a group of people including my Nana Abbu and great-grandfather escorted the Hindus to one of the caravans enroute to India.
While in the UK, I met an Indian businessman who is a very wealthy shipping tycoon of sorts. So we got talking about Pakistan and India (As it always happens lol) and I told him about my background and he told me about his and guess what! The guy started kissing my hands and gave me his card and said he wanted to get in touch with my Par-Nana (Allah bless his soul) or Nana-Abbu if he was still alive (MashaAllah he still is) and that if my family ever needed any help or support in anything I should contact him. I was overwhelmed at his behaviour and I called up my Nana-Abbu and got those guys in touch because the families were infact ‘friends’ of sorts in the town.
He was one of the children in that caravan and had grown up hearing that story from his parents.
I always thought it was such a beautiful incident. A story that transcends hate and fundamentalism. Islam does not encourage retaliation against unrelated persons or groups or communities. Justice must be fair and served with a cool head. I hope our people get some sense and see our religion for what it is. I am proud to call myself a Pakistani and belong to a family who truly honoured the foundation of my country.
Long live Pakistan!
nice, thanks for the no hate, and balanced post :-), it was heartwarming to read about the businessman and bringing people together that might have lost touch, gives peace of mind
