I've read and heard quite a few times of complaints by people on how many families got separated during the so-called "partition" of "India."
Amongst Pakistani citizens I've heard it mostly coming from Muhajirs who migrated from different parts of modern-day India. Amongst Indians, it's just about everyone since many Indians see Pakistan as a missing organ of "greater India" or the mythical "Bharatavarsha," not to mention all the Sikhs and "Hindus" who migrated out of Pakistan at the time of independence.
Both the non-Muslims who left the country and those Muhajirs who came to Pakistan claimed to have escaped persecution. If they were really being persecuted, why go back to the country they were being persecuted in?
The call for the right to cross the border free of restrictions has mainly been due to wanting to see their relatives who did or did not migrate.
The call to lift the visa restrictions poses serious problems for both countries. Pakistan long suspects RAW agents of infiltrating into it's borders and their close links to terrorist groups such as the MQM and rebels in Balochistan. Though I do not firmly believe it, I cannot rule out the possibility. Knowing reports coming out of the Pakistani government and media on suspicious foreigners; especially Americans, I have little doubt that the RAW has it's own set of activities in the country.
India for it's part has a history of blaming the Pakistani government and ISI for domestic terrorism in the country by Kashmiri insurgents and local religious terrorists, including Sikhs, Muslims and "Hindus."
Weather true or not, Indian citizens cannot be waving their government's warmongering flag and then calling for the ease of visa restrictions. Both countries have put the visa restrictions for good reasons.
And as we know, the Muhajirs on the Pakistani side are asking for the restriction to be removed so they can visit their relatives and their relatives visit Pakistan with ease. Such people on both sides feel that the country functions around them. How can you claim persecution as an excuse for immigrating out of one country and then suddenly wishing to go back? Are you not afraid of being persecuted again?
As I wrote in my previous posts on the Muhajirs, I don't buy their persecution stories. There may be truth to some riots/attacks by both sides, but highly exaggerated. How else does one explain the majority of Muslims who stayed back in India?
I'm also tired of hearing and reading the claims "we left for Islam" and "we left for the sake of Pakistan."
Everyone claims they sacrificed for the sake of India or Pakistan by immigrating. If you chose to leave, you did so at your own discretion. You've made the 'sacrifice' you feel relentlessly heroic about. No point complaining about it now.
Why should the whole country put it's security at risk just because you want your family members to visit you without restriction?
Most importantly why did you "sacrifice" your life in the opposite country if you're suddenly so keen to visit back and forth without restriction? Clearly there is no sacrifice in any of this if you suddenly want to back and complain about the restrictions.
If the Pakistani government can put restrictions on Americans, including diplomats, why would they suddenly ease visa restrictions and movements on Indian visitors to Pakistan?
Those in India and Pakistan who want to cross the border without restriction may as well permanently go since they seem to be keen on the other country and seemed to have suddenly lost their fear of persecution, not to mention they won't have to face restrictions if they can apply for and be granted permanent citizenship.
Pakistan has a good reason for restricting Indian nationals for visiting especially at this current situation in combating terrorism and I'm sure the Indian side has it's own reasons for the same restrictions on Pakistani nationals.
As for marriages between citizens of the two countries, they must decide which country to settle in as couples or choose a third neutral country.
If Muslims in India immigrated to Pakistan, they did so by their own free will and the same is true for non-Muslims who left Pakistan so it is time they lived with their decision and stop complaining.
Amongst Pakistani citizens I've heard it mostly coming from Muhajirs who migrated from different parts of modern-day India. Amongst Indians, it's just about everyone since many Indians see Pakistan as a missing organ of "greater India" or the mythical "Bharatavarsha," not to mention all the Sikhs and "Hindus" who migrated out of Pakistan at the time of independence.
Both the non-Muslims who left the country and those Muhajirs who came to Pakistan claimed to have escaped persecution. If they were really being persecuted, why go back to the country they were being persecuted in?
The call for the right to cross the border free of restrictions has mainly been due to wanting to see their relatives who did or did not migrate.
The call to lift the visa restrictions poses serious problems for both countries. Pakistan long suspects RAW agents of infiltrating into it's borders and their close links to terrorist groups such as the MQM and rebels in Balochistan. Though I do not firmly believe it, I cannot rule out the possibility. Knowing reports coming out of the Pakistani government and media on suspicious foreigners; especially Americans, I have little doubt that the RAW has it's own set of activities in the country.
India for it's part has a history of blaming the Pakistani government and ISI for domestic terrorism in the country by Kashmiri insurgents and local religious terrorists, including Sikhs, Muslims and "Hindus."
Weather true or not, Indian citizens cannot be waving their government's warmongering flag and then calling for the ease of visa restrictions. Both countries have put the visa restrictions for good reasons.
And as we know, the Muhajirs on the Pakistani side are asking for the restriction to be removed so they can visit their relatives and their relatives visit Pakistan with ease. Such people on both sides feel that the country functions around them. How can you claim persecution as an excuse for immigrating out of one country and then suddenly wishing to go back? Are you not afraid of being persecuted again?
As I wrote in my previous posts on the Muhajirs, I don't buy their persecution stories. There may be truth to some riots/attacks by both sides, but highly exaggerated. How else does one explain the majority of Muslims who stayed back in India?
I'm also tired of hearing and reading the claims "we left for Islam" and "we left for the sake of Pakistan."
Everyone claims they sacrificed for the sake of India or Pakistan by immigrating. If you chose to leave, you did so at your own discretion. You've made the 'sacrifice' you feel relentlessly heroic about. No point complaining about it now.
Why should the whole country put it's security at risk just because you want your family members to visit you without restriction?
Most importantly why did you "sacrifice" your life in the opposite country if you're suddenly so keen to visit back and forth without restriction? Clearly there is no sacrifice in any of this if you suddenly want to back and complain about the restrictions.
If the Pakistani government can put restrictions on Americans, including diplomats, why would they suddenly ease visa restrictions and movements on Indian visitors to Pakistan?
Those in India and Pakistan who want to cross the border without restriction may as well permanently go since they seem to be keen on the other country and seemed to have suddenly lost their fear of persecution, not to mention they won't have to face restrictions if they can apply for and be granted permanent citizenship.
Pakistan has a good reason for restricting Indian nationals for visiting especially at this current situation in combating terrorism and I'm sure the Indian side has it's own reasons for the same restrictions on Pakistani nationals.
As for marriages between citizens of the two countries, they must decide which country to settle in as couples or choose a third neutral country.
If Muslims in India immigrated to Pakistan, they did so by their own free will and the same is true for non-Muslims who left Pakistan so it is time they lived with their decision and stop complaining.
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