“While Pakistani players may be allured by the glitz and glamour of Bollywood, they also remain fearful of Balasaheb Keshav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena and consider it a serious threat to their safety. Despite this fact, we Mumbaikars or Bombayites are ready to welcome the Pakistani team if reaches the ICC Cricket World Cup final and will be more than happy to have them in our city,” said Desai.
The Indian delegate hoped that this year, the ICC Cricket World Cup would end up being a showdown between the teams of Pakistan and India, adding that such an occasion would be appreciated by the youthful, peace-loving cricket enthusiasts of Mumbai.
Desai told the youth attending the seminar that it was imperative to settle differences between India and Pakistan by resuming composite dialogue, which had been stalled since the Mumbai Attacks in 2008. He added that it was the prime responsibility of the youth to promote peace and harmony between the two rival states.
Mazher Hussain, another Indian delegate, while focusing on bilateral relations between the two countries, highlighted that the youth of the both nations are the best agents for bringing peace and stability in the region.
“When I visited Pakistan in 2003, I happen to meet a ninth-grader who blamed the leaders of the time for the unstable relations between the two countries. This made me realise that how the masses, especially the youth, are concerned about the issue,” shared Hussain, Executive Director of the Confederation of Voluntary Associations (COVA) in Hyderabad Deccan.
Hussain acknowledged that South Asia is one of the most volatile regions in the world as there are certain elements that are thriving by making conflict into a growing industry. He added that no progress is possible without peace and believed that the youth can make it likely. “The trend is not going to reverse by itself, but the youth can bring about a positive change,” commented Hussain.
While discussing other matters of concern, including the issuance of Indian visas to Pakistani nationals and vice versa, Hussain suggested that if visas were hard to attain, the people of both counties should rely on social networking websites to communicate in order to maintain ties. “Visiting a place is not important and we should use the latest internet technology to stay connected,” suggested Hussain.
The Indian speakers at the seminar mutually agreed that they felt at home during their visit to Pakistan. However, they added that the main challenge ahead was to eliminate the barriers between the two states.
Former member of the Indian Parliament and Editor of ‘Nai Duniya’, an Urdu daily, Shahid Siddiqui also agreed with his compatriots. But he was disappointed with the attitude of the civil society which, according to him, could easily help influence policymakers to make positive decisions through constant pressure.
“Do not blame your leaders for everything, as you the youth, possess the greatest power of all,” Siddqui said in a firm tone, while pointing to his young audience. He remained hopeful that the younger population of Pakistan could help bring about the change needed to mend relations.
“Our hope is the generation of today. We need to deliver or else we will be dumped into the dustbin of the history,” he warned his listeners.
Shahid Siddqui also believes that visa processing should be made free for students to boost exchange programmes between India and Pakistan.
Panelists Jatin Desai, along with Dr Bhalchandra Mungekar, Member of the Indian Parliament and a leading economist all agreed that both countries are facing identical issues. “Like Pakistan, 77 percent of the Indian population is earning mere Rs 20 a day.”
