By Ayesha Khaled
On the bright sunny morning of the New Year, I got a call from my Indian friend Dhananjay who excitedly asked me to read The Times of India. The paper contained the details of a new Indo-Pak project “Aman ki Asha” launched by The Times of India and the Jang Group. There was a similar editorial in The News here.
His call brought back memories of my recent visit to India. As in the past several years, in December 2009 I visited Delhi to perform in a theatre festival hosted by Ryan International School. More than 30 countries participated in the festival and once again the Pakistani group was the most sought-after. Without any exaggeration, every Indian was curious to meet the delegates from Pakistan. It is this curiosity that makes us friends with Indians every year.
I recall this little Indian boy who came to us and politely asked us if we were from Pakistan? Then, very hesitantly, he asked one of our group mates, “Can I touch you?”
We thought he was joking but after seeing the mixed expression of seriousness, interest and nervousness on his face, my friend replied, “Yes, sure you can.”
He cautiously touched him with his right index finger, as if he feared my friend would grab him and take him to some strange place. He shouted happily, “Hey, I have touched you. You are just like us… aren’t you?”
Everybody started laughing. At that moment, I realised the depth of his statement and then joined the party.
This was not the first time that I saw this. Every time I visit India, I have to answer many strange queries regarding different aspects of life in Pakistan. Why I am not in a veil? How do I know Hindi? Why I am not wearing a gharara? Am I allowed to talk to a male? How do I get permission to get leave home? Why don’t the male members of our group sport beards? And why aren’t they wearing shalwar kameez and prayer cap?
They have doubts about Pakistanis and they consider us conservative and rigid. Perhaps the media depicts only this picture of Pakistan. Indians do not have access to Pakistani news or entertainment channels on their cable networks.
The ‘Aman ki Asha’ initiative, started by two giant media houses, might well contribute to changing such perceptions based on stereotypes. Donald Williams rightly said, “For those who have seen the Earth from space, and for the hundreds and perhaps thousands more who will, the experience most certainly changes your perspective.”
While going through the ratings of the polls conducted to know the will of the citizens of both countries about the relationship strategy between them, I realised that Pakistanis are more flexible in terms of developing sound relations with India. Again the reason is the same; the Indian locals don’t know us well and they are afraid to join hands with Pakistanis.
Now we — I and my friends and colleagues – have another “Asha” (wish) that we would like media practitioners to fulfill: a television channel collaboration so that people on both sides get to know each other better. With these projects, there may come a time when we are given visas for the country instead of specific cities, with no ridiculous requirements like police reporting. All we need is dialogue and trust.
The writer recently graduated from college in Lahore and currently works as a Radio Jockey at a university FM station. This article was originally published in the Shehr page of The News on Sunday, Lahore edition, Jan 10, 2010.
Source: The News
Date:2/10/2010
