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Khat-e-Istiqbal: A Welcome Letter from the President of IPDF 2022/2023

By Haneen Farid (KCL IPDF President, KCL Politics, Class of 2024)

Dear Indo-Pak family, 

My name is Haneen Farid, I am the President of IPDF, and I’m thrilled to welcome you to our society! Before I give you a glimpse into our forthcoming plans, here is a little bit about myself:

Being Kashmiri and Indian means that I am not only exposed to anti-Pak narratives on a daily basis but also experience the consequential security crisis in my Kashmiri homeland. It is because of this that I joined IPDF last year and decided to help spread love among our friends from Pakistan. While it is true that by residing in the UK we are not directly subject to the Indo-Pak rivalry, I only hope that when we return to our countries, we remember that this hostility is futile. Besides, warring governments should not translate into resentful citizens. 

That being said, let me introduce you to the rest of the committee; having worked with Madeeha last year, I can say confidently that she is a highly analytical and experienced individual when it comes to society operations. What’s more is that she is of both Indian and Pakistani descent (probably making her the most apt IPDF representative). Additionally, Treasurer/ Sponsorships Officer Zaakir is always such a sport and has great commitment towards Indo-Pak unity. Not to mention, he’s attended IPDF calls from remote parts of Kashmir (if that isn’t dedication, I really don’t know what is). Ayesha, Aashka, and Alia are extremely talented writers, each having their own unique writing styles, and I cannot wait for you to read their work! 

Furthermore, Abdullah and Manmehak are two very hard-working Events Officers with some exceptionally interesting ideas for our events. Outreach Officer Saania, on the other hand, leaves no stone unturned when it comes to researching speakers for our academic events or societies for collaborations; she is perhaps, one of the most professional people I have come across. Last but definitely not the least, Digital Marketing Officer Zainab possesses a remarkable sense of creativity and wit, which is quite reflective in our posts on social media. All in all, the committee this year comprises some highly talented individuals with a strong commitment to bringing Indians and Pakistanis closer. So, I cannot wait for you to meet each of them! 

Anyhow, here’s a glimpse into what we have in stock for you: carrying on the tradition from last year, one of our first social events is a signature karaoke night! So, bring your A game- or don’t (we won’t judge you). Following this, we have a fest lined up to celebrate literature from the Indian subcontinent; whether it’s urdu/hindi poetry, shayari or ghazals that you fancy- we’ve got it all! Apart from this, we will also be hosting a desi games night (can’t go wrong with a little bit of antakshari, can you?)

Our blog Bar-e-Saghir ki Baatein will be featuring some particularly insightful topics every Monday- so keep an eye out for that. We will also be publishing pieces on literature, art, film, and journalism every Wednesday as part of our initiative Karwan e Khayal. If you wish to contribute to our blog, reach out to us on Instagram and we would love to publish your work! 

That’s all for now, fam. Follow us to stay posted with our events, hope to see you at the next one 🙂

Love, 

Haneen

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India and Police Brutality: Unboxing the Narrative

Katyayni Jha (KCL IPDF President, KCL Medicine) and Tara Sahgal (KCL IPDF Vice-President, KCL Liberal Arts – Politics Major)

Recent accounts of police brutality in the United States have sparked a multitude of debates and protests around the world, including in India. However, paradoxically, similar instances of police brutality, custodial torture and systemic prejudice within the country fail to be scrunitised by its citizens. 

Just days after U.S. cop Derek Chauvin killed George Floyd by kneeling on his neck, India saw a Rajasthani cop in Jodhpur using the same chokehold technique on a man he caught roaming the streets without a mask. While the former resulted in a historic movement against police brutality all over the world, the latter, despite going viral on social media, failed to achieve gross momentum. Similarly, several incidents highlighting the extent of police violence in India have stood out in 2020 alone: state machinery arresting and assaulting students in the AMU, JNU and Jamia protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens; Faizan who succumbed to his injuries after being beaten up and religiously profiled by Delhi police; the Palghar Sadhus lynching incident where policemen stood as mere spectators; and the use of force and discrimination against the daily wagers, migrant workers and essential service providers in order to impose the Coronavirus lockdown in a stricter fashion. These incidents garnered a lot of attention individually but it was only when #JusticeForJayarajAndFenix started trending on social media that the cultural and anachronistically systemic nature of police brutality in India was finally brought into question. 

On June 19th, 2020, Jayaraj (60) and his son Fenix (30) were arrested by Sathankulam police in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu for allegedly violating lockdown rules and having their mobile shop open past the curfew time imposed by district administration. There have been multiple eye-witness accounts of the subsequent torture of the father and son by the police, including physical and gruesome sexual assault resulting in internal haemorrhage and ultimately fatal complications. Such police misconduct not only violated the Constitutional human rights (Article 21 of the Constitution of India: the Right to Life and Dignity) of Jayaraj and Fenix but also went against several of the provisions issued by the State of Tamil Nadu, which clearly state that prisoners are not to be subjected to needless indignity or harsh treatment. The sub-inspectors involved in the assault have been suspended but it does nothing to bring justice to the lives lost now and over the years. 

The phenomenon of police brutality in India is age-old and primarily stems from the colonial era. The Police Act of 1861, which was introduced by the British to quell dissent shortly after the Revolt of 1857, remains functional to this day. In post-colonial India, most states have either preserved or adopted a newer version of the Act, which ensures that relations between the police and the public remain feudal. Additionally, there are also legal frameworks – or loopholes – in place that grant impunity to the police. An example of this is Section 197 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which states that with a few exceptions, “no Court shall take cognizance” of criminal charges against a former or current Judge, Magistrate or public servant, “except with the previous sanction” received from a competent authority. This legal protection allows police forces in India to use brute force with little fear. 

  • A rally that turned violent in West Bengal
  • Baton charge against the student protestors during the anti-NRC/CAA protests at Jamia Millia Islamia University, Delhi
  • Police detain a group of stranded migrant workers during a protest in Gujarat
  • Students try to save a fellow protester from the police during the anti-NRC/CAA protests at Jamia Millia Islamia University, Delhi
Examples of police brutality across the country

Moreover, constant glorification of police brutality at the hands of the Indian entertainment industry has played a major role in how the common public reacts to cases of police violence. Blockbuster Bollywood films where the quintessential ‘hero’ is a cop who beats the accused ‘bad guys’ while making arrests and uses force to get confessions out of them has only glamorised the injustices carried out by the police, despite the rules against them. It feeds the egoistic tendency of police personnel (and ordinary citizens enjoying such cinema) who believe that taking the law into their own hands will give them a sense of power and, ironically, moral superiority. Where their actions should be challenged, they are instead lauded by the public. Real-world examples of this mentality can be seen in the rise of ‘encounter specialists’ in Mumbai in the 1980s and the praise meted out to those who have followed in similar footsteps in the 21st century. 

These systemic issues can be corroborated by research. According to data obtained from the National Crime Records Bureau, as many as 100 individuals died in custody in 2017 alone, with no convictions. Interestingly, only 5% of the varied causes of death mention assault. Many were vaguely labeled as “natural causes” or “others”. In 2019, according to a report published by the National Campaign Against Torture (NCAT), India recorded almost five custodial deaths daily. 

In terms of mentality, the Policing in India Report 2018 found that less than 25% of Indians trust the police. In 2019, the same Report found that 3 out of 4 police personnel believe that the use of force against criminals is justified, while 4 out of 5 support the use of violence to obtain confessions from accused persons. Furthermore, according to the 2019 Report, around 50% of Indian policemen believe that Muslims are more “naturally prone” to commit crimes, alongside individuals belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. It also revealed that one out of two civilians condone the use of force by the police. 

One of the biggest problems with the police force in India is the lack of training. According to the Times of India, approximately 119 out of the 122 trainee officers failed in one or more subjects in the 2018 Police Service exams, with the most common being the subjects of ‘internal security’ and ‘law and order’. Additionally, and perhaps more pertinent to the phenomenon of police brutality, policemen in the country lack training on human rights and empathy. For example, the 2019 Report also reveals that in seven surveyed Indian states, at least one in five policemen have never received human rights training.

In light of everything that’s going on in the country and abroad, it may seem impossible to make a difference. But you can. I can. We can. The first (and perhaps most critical) step towards justice is to hold abusive officers accountable. There cannot be two different standards for police who use violence and ordinary citizens. Achieving a sustainable drop in the frequency of police brutality requires an overhaul of the archaic police laws and the structures that contribute to their preservation, along with greater investment in training and personnel. That being said, change truly starts with recognising the need to transform the police institution from one that enables officers to commit abuse without facing consequences to one that actively promotes human rights and the rule of law. Change starts with you. 

The following links host a number of petitions that you can sign to demand legal action as well as email templates to authorities who can help make a difference: https://policebrutalityindia.carrd.co/ and https://policebrutalityawareness.carrd.co/.

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Why We Do What We Do: Ek Khat Taraqqi Ke Naam

Mohammed Ameer Hamza Bullo (KCL IPDF Founder and 2018-2020 President, KCL Law)

Since partition, arguably the two most influential and powerful nations in South Asia have been going at it, whether it’s political, economic and social sphere. This rivalry and hatred wouldn’t have baffled me as much if the two countries were poles apart, but the fact of matter is that we are not. Our languages, Urdu and Hindi, share the same grammar and most of the basic vocabulary of everyday speech. Our food, ranging from chai to biryani is similar. The existence of Hindus and Muslims in both India and Pakistan has led to the celebration of Choti and Bari Eid, Diwali and Holi across India and Pakistan. And not to forget, our love and passion for the beautiful sport of cricket, and the match between these two cricketing giants brings everything to a standstill in both countries – and at times working hours are cut short so that families can watch the matches together. Yet, political differences in relevance to minority suppression, alleged use of non-state actors to instigate terrorist related activity, and the push towards regional dominance has caused both sides to drift apart from one another. 

Hence, I started a chapter at King’s College London to celebrate and engage in the non-problematic and discuss the problematic things that we do share. What started in summer of 2018 has turned out to be one of my most cherished accomplishments. The ethos of the society is simple: to discuss the many collective similarities that unite us, and debate the issues that divide us, and throughout these past two years we have ensured that we do both in order to be raise awareness and joy amongst our peers all around the world, amongst those who wish to see a peaceful, stable and successful South Asia. It all started with a simple fresher’s fair stall where we saw the overwhelming passion and like-mindedness amongst the students from the South Asian community and it lead to so much more. I guess it will be very hard to break down the events as this article would turn out to be very long, and as bored as you are right now, I wouldn’t bother you with the issues we had to deal with in relevance to bringing the speakers in and handling financing due to the aura surrounding the purpose of our society. 

Our first event was based around women empowerment in India and Pakistan was held in October 2018, where we had Pakistani MPA from Punjab Miss Hina Butt and Labour politician Lord Meghnad Desai. The purpose was to tackle one of the most pressing issues in South Asia, the one that surrounds the rights of women in workspace and at their homes, and the ‘MeToo’ movement that has since garnered much-needed traction. The event was successful but for one blemish. My ability to speak Urdu. I found myself mixing Urdu and English whilst giving an interview, which to date happens to be the toughest thirty seconds of my life.

Our Women Empowerment Event, hosted in October 2018, with Miss Hina Butt and Lord Meghnad Desai

On 14th of February 2019, a convoy of vehicles carrying Indian security personnel in Jammu was attacked on the National Highway which lead to the deaths of 40 soldiers with 35 injured. We were meant to host an event on the freedom of journalism in Kashmir the very next day – with our speakers Hamid Mir from Pakistan, and Suhasini Haider and Gurmehar Kaur from India. Undoubtedly, we had two choices. To cancel the event, or to discuss the issue of Kashmir in relevance to journalism, and condemn the attacks in Pulwama. We chose the latter amidst the many security threats that we were warned about. This was due to the reason that we believed that dialogue and discussion holds more weight than silence. This turned out to be our most successful event, garnering coverage from both India and Pakistan, and in times of divergence between the two countries, we tried our best to bring them closer, at least on some levels.

Our Deshon Ki Saqafat: Unboxing the Media Rhetoric Event in February 2019 with Suhasini Haider, Hamid Mir and Gurmehar Kaur

This was followed by my final event as President of this esteemed forum which was a panel talk on the much controversial revocation of Article 370 and 35A in Jammu and Kashmir, which has led to severe debates surrounding constitutional and international law violations. We were privileged to host President Azad Kashmir, His Excellency Sardar Masood Khan which was moderated by Robert Wintemute, Human Rights Professor at King’s College London in front of an audience of Indians and Pakistanis. The questions asked were strong, controversial and tackled both sides of the coin, and were answered by an individual who understood ground realities more than anyone in the hall that day. Everyone felt as if not only were they educated, but by voicing their opinions and questions, they clearly understood their stances as well which is critical when picking one side or another during an on-going issue. 

Our Kashmir Event, hosted in December 2019, with HE Sardar Masood Khan and Prof Robert Wintemute

Due to COVID-19, we could not host any more events and my committee and I bid farewell to this society and this idea we had birthed in our respective countries without saying final goodbyes. However, the beauty of not saying goodbyes is that it leaves doors open to reconvene. To Isha, Petal, Nafay, Zain, Afifa, Moshka, Prahsasti, Maryam, Katyayni, Tara, Moiz A, Freha, Kevin, Rohan, Zahra, Moiz M, Raed, Angad, Vatsal, and my good friend Momin (too many names but I HAD to mention all) – I thank you for your unwavering support, and for handling and bearing with me at my worst, and for supporting and congratulating me at my best. Every one of those individuals contributed to making this society what it is today.

To conclude, this forum has been built off of love and genuine passion held by so many Indians and Pakistanis, and it keeps getting stronger. Here is to all those fighting for their freedoms, voicing their discontent, spreading and sharing their love, and hoping for this conflict to come to an end. We are merely students, and our impact might not be as strong, but we are surely raising awareness amongst those who will be future leaders in their respective fields in Pakistan and India. Surely, like everyone who strives to achieve goals that are ambitious, we will fail. But failure isn’t when you keep on trying to succeed and falling – it is when you accept it. As Beckett said, ‘Ever tried, ever failed, no matter. Try again, fail again, fail better’.

Deshon Ki Saqafat: Bridging the Indo-Pak Gap

https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2019/12/04/world-has-rejected-indias-false-narrative-on-kashmir-masood/


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How India’s Urban COVID-19 Outbreak Became A Rural Catastrophe

Katyayni Jha (KCL IPDF President, KCL Medicine)

Almost all of us have seen images of them circulating on our feeds where we see them crying on the phone. We see them walking on railway tracks in the scorching heat. We see them walk across highways with their children wrapped around their backs. Offering endless sympathies and prayers while very few take action.

When the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered a rather abrupt nationwide lockdown in an attempt to halt the spread of the coronavirus, most of the Indian middle and upper class thought about how they would get their groceries for the next week, while over a 100 million daily-wage earners/migrant workers struggled to survive the pandemic. Many found themselves almost immediately out of a job and unable to pay rent as their only source of daily income was taken away from them.

For decades, millions of workers from rural areas in India have moved from state to state and some to shores abroad, looking for opportunities and livelihoods. The COVID-19 outbreak found its way to India in late January and despite the country being in lockdown since 25th March, a staggering increase in cases has led to the numbers crossing well over 260,000. Several structural healthcare inequalities have been exposed since then along with the gross underestimation of the role migrants have played in the Indian economy. Their contributions were undervalued and now, with the looming migrant worker crisis and a shrinking economy, their quantum has finally been acknowledged.

While the government’s response to overseas stranded Indians had an inherently upper class bias, migrant workers, stranded away from their homes and families, found themselves out of jobs with no money or food security. The trains and buses, which should have carried them home, were suspended. Several hundreds of them have died while making their journeys. Due to exhaustion, starvation, road and rail accidents, suicide, denial of medical care and other reasons that are not COVID-19.[1]  To add to their obstacles, many got assaulted for violating the lockdown orders by the police who took no account of the difficulties many vulnerable people faced in complying with them.

Migrants walking to board a train from Central Railway Station, in Chennai, May 13, 2020. Photo: PTI

After waiting for longer than a month, thousands of migrant workers took the Shramik Special trains to their hometowns, which were running between 1st May and 27th May.  They found this to be a way to escape the uncertainty of the cities and get back home. But, with trains getting diverted to different routes due to congestion and soaring temperatures, many couldn’t survive. According to data from the Railway Protection Force, over 80 people had lost their lives – this time on board.  Upon their return to their hometowns and villages, they got hosed down with disinfectants or soap solution sometimes, and faced harassment from the people who thought the workers had brought the coronavirus with them from the cities. And unsurprisingly in many rural areas, a surge in new coronavirus infections has been seen as the migrants returns home. For example, in the state of Bihar, official data showed that around two-thirds of the number of recorded cases as of 1st June, were linked to migrants workers who returned after the trains were launched, adding to the stigma surrounding them. The humiliation and disrespect unleashed on them under the cognitive influences of what purity means often shatter their self-respect and self-dignity.

Any Government relief packages that were sent out for people living in poverty have clearly been inadequate and insufficient exposing the lack of preparation and coordination between state governments. In efforts to provide relief to those affected by the pandemic, PM Modi launched the PM CARES fund in March to which numerous high-profile individuals and organisations have donated. However in light of recent research, the lack of transparency of the new fund has been brought forward and the concrete use of the money in the right direction has been questioned. In any case, the PM’s fund combined with grassroots humanitarian efforts from a number of NGOs and charitable organisations, have just not been enough. The lack of active response from majority of Indian celebrities has been disappointing but not surprising. A couple of Indian actors have come out to actively help the migrant workers get home and support orphaned children who lost their parents on the journeys and while this has been heart-warming, it makes us question: why have others with large platforms not already done this before? What will be enough to reverse this humanitarian catastrophe?

Rather than extending one-time relief measures for such pressing issues, introducing conditions that support the informal sector in the cities, unlock employment opportunities and provide better living conditions for the vulnerable may just enable them to live better in a post-COVID-19 world. It shouldn’t just be about what can be done now to help. It should be about what can be done to bring long-term change.

The plight of migrant workers was given attention, but not as much as it needed to get in the mainstream media and social media. A video from a train station in Bihar which went viral over social media and news channels showed a toddler playing with a piece of cloth covering his mother, who didn’t move. She was dead. After a few posts and stories of us feeling shocked and sorrowful, what else has been done? And if we haven’t offered enough pity already, we glorify their struggles. Social media saw an ugly wave of triumphalism when Jyoti Kumari, the 15-year old Bihari girl, cycled 1,200 km back home with her injured father sitting behind her. Ivanka Trump was quick to label this as a “beautiful feat of endurance” but was this an appropriate reaction? Such glorification conceals the terrible reality. It should instead remind us that as a system, we have become desensitized and have started to overlook the conditions that forced Jyoti to travel 1,200 km in the first place, and countless others like her.

The cities they had helped build and run turned their backs on them.

Here’s what you can do to help:

GIVE INDIA (India)

https://indiafightscorona.giveindia.org/?utm_source=subs_homepage_desktop  Give India

Donate money to support, provide hygiene kits and ration kits to COVID-19 hit families of the poor and daily wage labourers and also money to provide PPE to health-workers in India. The money can also be used to fund tickets to get the migrant workers get back home safely. 100% of the donations will go towards the cause you choose to support.

Association for Humanitarian Development (Pakistan)

AHD is making efforts to raise funds for effective preventive work against the spread of COVID-19 in the rural areas of the Sindh region in Pakistan, which is going through a similar migrant worker and rural areas health crisis like India.

I am in no way affiliated with these organisations and have included them purely based on their previous humanitarian efforts.

[1] https://thejeshgn.com/projects/covid19-india/non-virus-deaths/ (public database of reported deaths that have happened as a result of the lockdown)

Analysis: How can Pakistan avoid being a second Sri Lanka?

By Aashka Tank (KCL Associate Blog Editor; KCL Politics, Philosophy and Economics; Class of 2024)

When key ministers advise citizens to consume less tea in order to converse foreign currency reserves and consumer price inflation reaches a 14 year high, major economic tumult is imminent. 

Economic headwinds have a propensity to spill over into the political arena, as seen in Sri Lanka, wherein similar structural issues of soaring inflation and meagre reserves spelt disaster for former President Rajapaksa as crowds took to the streets to push him out of office. Though a similar mass protest targeted against the ruling party was not seen in Pakistan, the economic strain proved to be the straw that broke the camel’s back, leading to a no-confidence motion which ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan. Thus, in this regard, Pakistan has not mirrored the events bordering a civil revolution in Sri Lanka. However, since economic issues persist and are further exacerbated by political uncertainty and disastrous floods, it begs the question – could Pakistan still become a second Sri Lanka?

In a global inflationary climate, with central banks around the world raising interest rates, emerging market economies are put under additional pressure. Countries like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Cambodia are still recovering from the twin shocks of COVID-19 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and raising interest rates like the US, UK or Europe would halt growth in its tracks pushing millions back into poverty. On the other hand, not raising interest rates would mean that foreign investors pull money out of the country and put it into the bonds of more advanced economies with higher yields, leading to a net capital outflow and dwindling foreign reserves. This lack of demand for national currencies would cause them to depreciate against the greenback, which further fuels inflation. This Hobson’s choice is an exigent one even in economies without underlying structural weaknesses, but it becomes almost impossible to escape for countries which have fallen prey to long-term mismanagement and corruption, like Pakistan and Sri Lanka. 

The textbook economic solution to ease emerging economies out of such a crisis is to provide them with loans, with the important caveat that the cash injection is used to ease not only short-term pressures, but also bolster the country’s productivity and invest in diversifying industries so that these patterns do not recur in the long term. However, a tie binding Pakistan and Sri Lanka is their dependence on China, which provides seemingly generous loans without demanding that the economy be restructured. For China it is a win, even if the country it provides funds to defaults, since in exchange, it gains control over key strategic zones like ports or industrial areas, or obtain a long term lease for the mining of raw materials. This misalignment of incentives, while pulling at-risk economies off the edge of the cliff solves nothing, but instead worsens underlying issues. Indeed, this was what led to the spectacular collapse of Sri Lanka when it did happen. In that particular instance, China proved itself immovable in terms of restructuring debt obligations and offered no reprieve. 

Therefore, over-reliance on Chinese loans, as seen by its funding of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is perhaps the most worrying sign for Pakistan’s economy. The natural antidote to this is to have an alternative lender of last resort – the IMF. The International Monetary Fund’s rescue package for Sri Lanka, despite coming too late to salvage the economy entirely, did stabilise rampant inflation and is on conditional on structural reforms. Therefore, the announcement of a $1.1 billion bailout package for Pakistan by the IMF is highly encouraging. Had this come prior to the floods that wreaked havoc throughout the country, it may have helped mitigate the damage to several livelihoods, however, as things stand, it may be a mixed blessing, since it made the Sharif government more amenable to previously unpopular austerity policies since Pakistan badly needed the cash injection. Following the announcement, the bond market has also recovered from historic lows, which provides the country with another, much needed source of capital inflow. Thus, at this point, Pakistan does not seem to be at a very risk of defaulting on its foreign debt like Sri Lanka, even though the floods meant that crucial supplies had to be imported. 

However, this progress may be backtracked if political stability is endangered in Pakistan. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan gained landslide support in local elections recently, and is calling out for national elections, which the ruling coalition is unwilling to grant. This tussle threatens a precarious economic stability and makes investor jittery. Irrespective of the outcome of a potential transfer of power, the most salient aspect is ensuring that this is done in an orderly manner, which would prevent any disruption to supply chains, bond markets and currency exchanges. The case of Sri Lanka should warn Pakistan that the self-fulfilling prophecy of the economy responds strongly to images of anarchic mobs and political upheaval. By viewing it is a guidebook of what not to do, Pakistan’s economy may yet be salvaged.

References

A Study into Sufism

By Aalia Qureshi (KCL IPDF Associate Blog Editor, KCL Medicine, Class of 2025)

“It is the message, not the man, which is important to the Sufis.”  (Shah 1999)

In recent times, stereotypes of Muslims have infiltrated the media to the extent that the majority of people are unaware of the true religion. In addition to this, misguided individuals across the world have unfortunately tarnished the image of Muslims by using the name of Islam to justify hateful actions, including several attacks over the last decade targeting Sufi shrines in Pakistan.  

In striking contrast to this, Islam is a religion in which the defining qualities are peace and submission; these two traits are embodied perfectly in the exemplary character of Prophet Muhammad pbuh, who said, “You will not enter Paradise until you believe and you will not believe until you love each other. Shall I show you something that, if you did, you would love each other? Spread peace among yourselves.” (Sahih Bukhari) (Hurairah n.d.)

Therefore, in an attempt to portray the true wisdom within Islam’s teachings, in this article I will aim to demonstrate an interpretation of the compassionate teachings and practice of Sufism, the essence of which is embodied in the quote above.   To me, this quote exemplifies the Sufi theories of infinities of meanings within words and philosophy as opposed to finiteness of man; the eternities within truth, wisdom and love as opposed to the confines of materialism, selfishness and egocentric behaviour.   

Following is a translated Persian couplet by Shaikh Sa`di, a Sufi poet greatly renowned for his contributions to classical Persian literature: 

“The essence of tariqah* is not to be found, 

In the rosary, or the prayer rug, or the Sufi cloak. 

It is the service to God’s creatures in which, 

You will find its true meaning manifest.”  (Ahmad n.d.)

*Tariqah: the individual paths taken by Sufi mystics in order to find the true nature of God. 

Within these enlightening lines, the Sufi perception of Islam can be inferred: rather than mindlessly carry out the external, obligatory actions with hearts as cold as marble, Muslims might look to gain inspiration from the lived experiences, thoughts and philosophies of Muslims in the past 1400 years, through which a vast variety of lessons regarding the truths within Islam can be learnt.    (Feuer 2015)

As opposed to popular belief, Sufism is not a sect of Islam, but rather a state of mindfulness and detachment from worldly ties within which an individual seeks to follow Islam and achieve nearness to God.   Some Muslims hold the belief that the Islamic law, otherwise known as Shari’ah, is comprised of 2 overlapping but distinct areas: one which pertains to external, outward actions such as charity, the act of Salah and fasting, and the other esoteric view of Sharia, which refers to an inward set of rules, that directs a Muslim’s heart towards a state of sincerity,  humility and faith– this is known as Sufism.    (KN 2011)

Origins of Sufism 

Sufism has spread its influence exponentially across the world since its origins, with a range of well-known individuals directly accelerating this progress through philosophy, poetry as well as other creative means.   Many hold the opinion that since Sufism refers to closeness to God and development of the inward facets of faith, its origin is unanimous with the origin of Islam, since mindfulness was emphasized heavily within the words of the Holy Prophet Muhammad pbuh (peace be upon him).  However, it was only in the 12th century when the movement officially began being recognised within a series of orders, known as Turuq.  Prominent Sufis include Jalaluddin Rumi, al-Ghazali as well as Jami, all of whom have Persian origin.

Chishti order

Within the Sindh province of Pakistan, as well in India, most Sufis adhere to the Chishti order, founded by Khwaja Abu Ishaq Shami in Chisht, Afghanistan. Abu Ishaq Shami summarised his teachings into 3 fundamental principles, epitomised in the memorable words of Bayazid Bostami, who stated that a true devotee of Sufism should have: “a generosity like that of the ocean, mildness like that of the sun, and modesty like that of the earth.” (Baloch 2019)

By no means do the English translations of the enlightened words of Sufi philosophers do them justice, yet even with the limited understanding and depth that comes with translations, the words bring a certain peace to the reader.  Drawing inspiration from the natural wonders of this world (for example the ocean, sun and Earth) aids Sufis in the quest to worship God and not His creation; to lose themselves in the vastness and perfection of His world.  In this way, they seek to focus wholly on serving mankind selflessly in the remembrance of God’s graciousness and mercy, as opposed to seeking validation and recognition by worldly standards as most people seek to do. 

The Act of Dhikr 

Dhikr, also known as the remembrance of Allah, is carried out universally by Muslims but is an especially integral part of Sufism, with the end goal being to achieve a constant awareness of the omnipresent nature of God.  Within the different Turuq of Sufism, Dhikr is carried out in different ways, whether that be aloud or silently, or sitting, standing or moving.  The observer will repeat a certain name or attribute of Allah, or particular verses of the Quran, to achieve a trance-like mental state comparable with meditation.  For followers of this practice, the act of focussing entirely on a singular word or phrase and channelling all of one’s thoughts into this exercise empowers a person to direct the very essence of their being into a state of purity, peace and complete understanding of the nature of God.  It could be understood that the very essence of Sufism is to lose all meaning of self, to annihilate one’s desires and worldly wishes in favour of an existence purely in sync with the nature of God. 

“I drained this cup: there is nothing, now, but ecstatic annihilation” – Rumi  (Dhikr as an Archetype of Transformation 2010)

What can we learn from Sufism? 

Muslim or not, various fundamental truths can be learnt from the theory and practices of Sufism, one of which includes the following: true tranquillity, calmness and contentment can only be found when we channel our energies within, rather than seeking validation from a society in which productivity and external appearances are valued over humanity and compassion.  Sufism teaches the importance of giving, not only for the person who receives, but also for the person who gives.  All in all, to truly thrive and flourish in the current day and age requires a great deal of focused introspection, reflection and meditation, in order to realise that the true means of happiness and satisfaction lay solely and completely within ourselves. 

As a concluding remark, a translated Persian couplet by Mirza Abdul Qadir (an Indo-Persian poet who lived during the Mughal empire, famed for his convoluted yet expressive style of writing):  

“It is a shame that your baser self impels you to seek serenity, 

In the gardens and meadows of the outside world;  

Your own inner being is no less than a blossoming bud, 

Open the door of your heart and step into the inner garden!” (Ahmad n.d.)

References

Ahmad, Dr. Israr. n.d. The Reality of Tasawwuf In the Light of the Prophetic Model. Accessed 09 19, 2022. https://jsr.shanti.virginia.edu/back-issues/volume-1-no-1-august-2001-mysticism-and-scriptural-reasoning-messianism-and-fulfillment/the-reality-of-tasawwuf-in-the-light-of-the-prophetic-model/.

Baloch, Tayyab. 2019. SUFI ORDERS IN PAKISTAN. 04 30. Accessed 09 19, 2022. https://katehon.com/en/article/sufi-orders-pakistan.

2010. Dhikr as an Archetype of Transformation. 08 LLEWELLYN VAUGHAN-LEE. Accessed 09 19, 2022. https://goldensufi.org/dhikr-as-an-archetype-of-transformation/.

Feuer, Sarah. 2015. Sufism: An Alternative to Extremism? March 11. Accessed 9 19, 2022. https://institute.global/policy/sufism-alternative-extremism.

Hurairah, Abu. n.d. Sahih Muslim 54.

KN, Omar. 2011. A Survey Of Decisive Arguments And Proof For. 12 26. Accessed 9 19, 2022. https://www.livingislam.org/m/tsw_e.html.

Shah, Idries. 1999. The Sufis. Octagon Press.

(Un)divided: The History of the Attari-Wagah Border

By Ayesha Begum (KCL IPDF Blog Editor-in-Chief, KCL Pharmacology, Class of 2024)

The beating sun that swelters above the manmade border created over seventy years ago is setting. There is an air of anticipation and warmth amongst the chatter and cheap street-side snacks that are placed in their palms. Thousands of observers come in droves and flocks every evening to watch a spectacular showpiece that brings together the neighbours of India and Pakistan. The sky is painted in golden hues that hang over the Attari-Wagah border and the soldiers are presenting a performance so uniformly flawless in their pace and posture. The most pivotal point in the day, the time for the ‘Beating Retreat’ ceremony has arrived. 

What is the Attari-Wagah border? 

The Attari-Wagah border is the international border between India and Pakistan. Wagah refers to the village near Lahore, Pakistan – six hundred metres from the border and Attari refers to the bordering village in India, east of the border. The border is famous for its ‘Beating Retreat’ ceremony that takes place every evening, exactly two hours before the sunset. 

It is a colourful display of patriotism, both amongst the crowds wearing the love for their nation on their sleeve and the vibrancy depicted in the military practice. It is a juxtaposition of the bitter separation of the two nations, leaving two countries amputated at birth and a symbol of unity and friendship between India and Pakistan. This event that takes place every evening, without fail, is organised by both the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) and the Pakistan Rangers, whose responsibility is to guard the security of their respective sides of the border. The Attari-Wagah border was a site of exodus in the Partition of 1947, in which over six million Muslims migrated from East Punjab to West Punjab and four million Hindus migrated from present-day Pakistan to present-day India. 

A show at the Wagah Border (Abhinav Sharma, May 7 2022).

Why is it so significant? 

The Attari-Wagah border is not simply a corridor, a passage or a geographical barrier. It is ‘a moment of birth that was also an abortion’ (Tharoor, 2017). It is a reminder that a region that was one united in language, attire, cuisine, emotional connect, trade and transport was subject to the fission of two separate states. It is ironic that the Partition of 1947 marks the collapse of the British Raj yet that which was diminishing was the prospect of brotherhood between the two nations. Every evening at the Attari-Wagah border is the reminder of silent distance between India and Pakistan. Yet there remains the atmosphere of undying respect and compassion towards the opposite side of the border despite the decades of longing and separation of friendships tucked away in corners and memories in places millions once called home. 

After the Partition, namely in 1948, the Attari-Wagah border became a heavily patrolled and scrutinised area as those who were unable to make the passage from India to Pakistan and Pakistan to India – effectively, trying to be on the right side of the border where they may have freely practiced their religion – were attempting to migrate at later dates due to previous communal riots that had been flaring up. Any part of the borders between India and Pakistan and Pakistan and Bangladesh were unexpectantly tightened with security as was the whole amputation of the state of pre-Partition India. The geographical and political divide was at such an unprecedented high, almost surreal to civilians as they may have been on the ‘wrong side of the border’. Away from the streets, rivers, banks, fields and buildings that they had grown up in, thrived in as children, seen generations flourish within. Now they were deemed as illegal migrants and trespassers had they chosen to attempt return. 

After a historic meeting was held on Grand Trunk Road, on 11th October 1947, there was finally a make-shift check post set up at the Attari-Wagah border. Prior to this, there was no marker of any kind and officers posted from both countries were not equipped with the means to ‘defend millions of refugees on either side’ (Kochchar, 2020). Over time, liaisons between India’s BSF and Pakistan Rangers has allowed for the checkpoint to ameliorate from a string of tents and dust to a full-fledged border control point. 

Many avid readers of Urdu literature are familiar with the works of Sadat Hassan Manto and one notable stories of his is his short story – Toba Tek Singh – which was in actual fact based on events at the Attari-Wagah check post with protagonists that were sectioned in a mental asylum – with a particularly morbid scene that occurs at the check point. Over the decades, the border has become a place of bilateral trade and owing to its international railway, allowed for the exchange of freight and somewhat the friendship of India and Pakistan is very much alive, in regards to its commercial trade. 

What is the ‘Beating Retreat’ ceremony?

The ‘Beating Retreat’ ceremony is a grand performance put on by both India’s BSF and the Pakistan Rangers. It is akin to a dance, with manoeuvres that are perfectly in sync with each other, complete with rather high leg kicks and is solemnised by the lowering of both flags. This is symbol of patriotism for both the nations, a strange juxtaposition of bitter unity – one where they are both competing to outperform the other state’s display. You can watch a snippet of the ceremony here to get a flavour of what the scene is like there at the Attars-Wagah border before sundown every evening!

Yet, at the same time, they are sharing one stage, one road, one land that was once created by a man, Cyril Radcliffe, who had never set foot in India prior to the premature plans of Partition. There is an unclear friendship between the two nations, perhaps not enmity though the distance remains. Even though, civilians watch these displays simply metres away from where there used to be no border, no division. 

It is this separation of the states where renowned Pakistani poet, Faiz Ahmad Faiz, spoke of the poignant loss of the states, in ‘Subh e Azadi’, a loss of the limbs from their geographical bodies, a deep anguish from the demise of one land:

ﻧﺠﺎﺕِ ﺩﯾﺪﮦ ﻭ ﺩﻝ ﮐﯽ ﮔﮭﮍﯼ ﻧﮩﯿﮟ ﺁﺋﯽ

ﭼﻠﮯ ﭼﻠﻮ ﮐﮧ ﻭﮦ ﻣﻨﺰﻝ ﺍﺑﮭﯽ ﻧﮩﯿﮟ ﺁﺋﯽ

‘najat e dida-o-dil ki ghadi nahin aayi

chale chalo ki woh manzil abhi nahin aayi’

Translation:

The time for the freedom of the heart did not come 

Come along for that destination has still not arrived. 

(Nazm, Nuskha Hai Wafa, pp. 116).

References

Kochchar, A. 2020, Oct 11, The making of the Attari-Wagah Border.

Tharoor, S. 2017, Aug 10, The Partition: The British game of ‘divide and rule’ .

India’s Relationship with the Gulf Cooperation Council

Abdullah al-Wandawi (KCL IPDF Postgraduate Ambassador, MA Politics and Economics of the Middle East)

Introduction

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is made up of the six Arab monarchies of the Gulf region. The six nations in this block include: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This blog seeks to explore the dynamic history between the Arab Gulf and India beginning with a very brief overview of relations between the two regions up until the colonial period. The second and third sections will explore how India and the GCC’s trading and security relationships have evolved, especially since the beginning of the 21st Century.

A brief history of relations during the pre-colonial and colonial periods

Ties between the sub-continent and the Gulf stretch back well over a millennium. Up until the 1600’s with the rise of the Portuguese Empire and the decline of China, coastal cities such as Kochi and Kollam in India, Chittagong in Bangladesh and Galle in Sri Lanka had important trading links to cities in the Arab Gulf including: Basra in Iraq, Hormuz and Muscat in Oman and Aden in Yemen. These links were a crucial component to Indian Ocean trade which connected the East Coast of Africa the Gulf, India, Indonesia, and China in a complex web of trade networks which was larger, richer and more diverse in terms of the people involved than the Silk Road.

Raw materials from Africa reached South Asia via Arab merchants who brought coffee, books, and weapons in exchange for a plethora of items such as spices in Sri Lanka and cotton cloth from India and of course, ideas were also exchanged.

The success of trade across the Indian Ocean was able to happen due to the free-market nature of the process and because it was merchants rather than states or Empires which dictated the economic rules of trade. As such, cities competed to offer low taxes to traders little to no protection was needed from the states and Empires across the Ocean.

The arrival of European Empires caused trade to decline as the new economic systems largely prohibited intra-trade between merchants who were now under European rule as the objectives of the new pioneers of the Indian Ocean sought to exploit the region and send back raw materials to their respective metropoles.

Contemporary trade relations between India and the Gulf Cooperation Council

Today, trade between India and the Gulf has been re-vitalised largely due to the Gulf’s large deposits of oil and natural gas resources. In 2005 only around 2% of oil imports to India had its origins in the Arab Gulf however from 2006 there has been a massive climb in oil imports from the GCC and this amounted to 40% of total oil imports to India. This increase has since hardly waned and in 2019 oil exports to India as a percentage have continued to remain relatively consistent. In 2019 India’s trade with the GCC in terms of combined imports and exports was worth $115 billion USD (bn). This volume of trade is greater than trade with either China or the United States (U.S) in the same year which was $90 billion and $89 billion USD respectively. However, this should hardly come as a surprise as nation’s generally trade in great volumes with their closest neighbours and India’s key trading hubs, Gujarat and Mumbai quite literally sit on the shores of the Arabian Sea making these cities considerably closer to Dubai, UAE than to Shanghai, China.

Not only are India’s export and import volumes to the Gulf increasing but the types of goods that are being traded are changing and there are small but sure signs that India is diversifying its export products to the Gulf region.

From the periods of 2010 to 2019 precious metals and jewellery were continually the top exports to the GCC but the next three top exports were metals, knitwear, and foodstuffs. However, in 2019 machine equipment was the third largest export to the GCC and the export value of machinery rose by $1.3 billion USD from 2018 to 2019. This rapid trajectory implies that it will fast become the second largest export from India to the GCC in the coming years. Transportation equipment, although still not one India’s top 5 major categories of exports to the GCC, could become one as the sale of cars, cargo, and passenger ships etc to the GCC has nearly quadrupled over the past decade.

Conversely, the make-up GCC’s exports to India is also changing and becoming more diverse. Although the bulk of India’s imports from the GCC are in crude petroleum and gas, the GCC exports far fewer precious metals to India both as a percentage of overall exports and in terms of real value with India’s demand for planes and helicopters from the GCC increasing. Furthermore, in 2010 India purchased most of its planes and aircraft from the United States. By 2019 Kuwait had become India’s largest market for aircraft. Ultimately, this is a sign that through trade, the economies of both India and the GCC are diversifying.

Contemporary security relations

The agendas of rising powers such as India and China include asserting a proactive role in Middle Eastern affairs. Respective Indian Prime Ministers starting from Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1998-2004) have sought for India to take a more assertive position in global affairs (Pethiyagoda, 2017). During the colonial period, and due to the proximity between India and the Gulf, the British sought to secure the Gulf area to protect its most vital “possession” (India) and stating the obvious fact that distances between the areas have not changed, it is also in India’s interests to have stability in the Gulf region. Therefore, then Indian National Security Advisor M.K Narayanan claimed that “the key focus in our external relations today is ensuring the stability of the region, comprising the arc of nations from the Gulf to East Asia” (Pethiyagoda, 2017). This explains why during Modi’s visit to Saudi Arabia both states agreed to strengthen ties in maritime security and why Indian navy vessels have increased visits to GCC ports and taken part in joint naval exercise with GCC states (Pethiyagoda, 2017).       

Furthermore, India has been engaging in several cooperation initiatives with partners in the Indo-Pacific region to react against the rise and perceived threats of China. This includes the “Quad” security partnership with the United States, Japan and Australia. However, with these partner nations are situated a considerable distance away from Delhi in comparison to the Gulf region. As such, perhaps it is time for India to also look just slightly west-ward to deepen its security arrangements. This may be an increasingly attractive proposition for India as Saudi Arabia is now one of the top ten largest defence spenders globally and the UAE is building and expanding its military presence overseas. Therefore, in the coming years and decades it is likely that the GCC will feature even more prominently in Indian defence partnerships. The likelihood that the GCC and India remain allies is also high. This is because there are over 7 million Indians working in GCC states who send home $40 billion USD annually in remittances (Pethiyagoda, 2017). These high levels of remittances will surely give extra impetus to increase military relations with the Arab states along the Gulf and would take extra care to ensure that contemporary Indian Ocean is not disrupted. After all, the Achilles heel to Indian Ocean trade of a previous era was the lack of military might to stand up to European colonial raiders.

An Introduction to Kashmir

Malika Arshad (KCL IPDF President 2021-2022, KCL International Development)

Kashmir has been known by many as Paradise on Earth, Mini Switzerland alongside many other names alluding to its beautiful landscape and scenic regions. Tourism has been essential for many years as many come to explore the variety of culture, views and beauty in the area. At the same time, it is the most militarised zone in the world due to the tumultuous political situation it currently faces. Undeniably, the violation of human rights has been at the forefront of global discussions and has grappled the world in recent decades. Such a parallel of the beautiful landscapes with the challenging military tensions marks the region to be of significant interest, aside from the fact that it involves both Pakistan and India (both nuclear powered countries alongside China) at dispute.

IPDF and Kashmir

IPDF has held many events in the past celebrating and appreciating Kashmiri rights and culture. Kashmir is one of the defining areas of the subcontinent due to its historical importance and geopolitical significance. We also had an event on ‘Kashmir and Human Rights’ (2019) in light of India revoking Article 370 where we invited the President of Azad Jammu & Kashmir (PoK) to discuss issues happening within both sides of the border. This sold-out event was pivotal for us as it truly allowed us to explore the important discussions we value as a society and highlight key issues in the subcontinent.

What is Kashmir’s history and importance?

Kashmir has long been an important and valuable for its national security, geography and resources. The Indus River flows through which is essential for agriculture in Pakistan and for irrigation in India. Thus, a treaty was a established (Indus Water Treaty 1960) to allow for both countries to continue the historical use of the river. In this way, many of the interactions between both countries of the resources are politically disputed, militarised or at great discussions.

Kashmir was founded in 1846 as the princely state. During 1947 at the cusp of in dependence, many states were being decided between India and Pakistan. Certainly, Kashmir was unique in the fact that it was a majority Muslim population and the ruler was a Hindu, Maharaja Hari Singh. Whilst the British had recommended that Kashmir should go to India due to its secular state, Hari Singh envisioned that Kashmir would be independent. This was because of fears that Kashmiri Muslims would be unhappy in India, whereas the Hindu and Sikhs would be alternatively unhappy in Pakistan. Thus, the solution to remain independent was maintained by the ruler.

Given the backdrop of such geopolitical and social tensions of independence, it led to the first Indo-Pakistan War in 1948 where the right for Kashmiri land was fought for by both countries following an attempt to siege the land by Pakistan. Consequently, a ceasefire agreement was established and Line of Control (LOC) was created. The state was split into two thirds under Indian occupation and one third under Pakistan. This marked the first of the many wars and conflicts between these two nations over Kashmir.

Kashmiri culture

Due to the varied an rich heritage of Kashmir, there are multiple influences of the culture deriving greatly from Hindu, Buddhist and Islamic customs. Ethnolinguistically, they can be closely associated with Indo-Greeks. Furthermore, the language is highly influenced by Sanskrit and writing script consists of Arabic styles. Many religious (Hindu and Muslim) festivals are celebrated in Kashmir alongside numerous melas (fairs) annually. Perhaps one of the most prominent cultural aspects is the level of handiwork undertaken in Kashmir. The pashmina shawl significantly is renowned worldwide for the quality of its fabric and a textile which symbolises royalty.

Kashmir Independence Day

On February 5th Kashmir Independence Day is celebrated in Pakistan each year since 1990 to commemorate the establishment of the state in 1947. Across the Kashmir highway in Pakistan towards the popular tourist destinations of Murree and Nithya Gali, signs like this can be seen prominently celebrating the independence and allyship of Pakistan with Azad Kashmir.

In India, Kashmir Independence Day is on Monday 15th August. A report from 2021 noted how every government school in Jammu and Kashmir was directed to host the Indian tricolour on Independence Day. However, unlike Azad Kashmir (Pakistan) which dedicates a particular day separate from Pakistan’s own Independence Day (14th August), in India the J&K independence becomes synonymous with India’s own independence day on the 15th of August.

Kashmir Scenery

Interesting facts

  • Cashmere wool got its name from the from Kashmir region in India. Kashmir thus became known worldwide when the wool was largely exported to other nations and regions. Alongside Pashmina shawls, it is a very rich textile exporter.
  • In the medieval times, Hinduism flourished in the Valley with the founder of the system of Hindu philosophy known as Advaita Shaivism originating from Kashmir which co-existed with Buddhism and Islam, particularly Kashmiri Sufism before the arrival of the Mughals.
  • The state is divided into three administrations because of Article 370 – J&K under India, Azad Kashmir under Pakistan and Aksai Chin under China. Kashmir Valley, however, is completely under Indian governance.
  • Two of three wars between India and Pakistan historically have been disputed over Kashmir (1949: ceasefire LOC established, 1965 also ends in ceasefire)

Flags

The flag of ‘Azad Kashmir’ under Pakistan as an independent state. Some Kashmiris believe that their land was illegitimately given to India by a ruler who did not truly represent the people. Given that a majority of the Muslim states went to Pakistan, they believe Kashmir should belong to Pakistan.  Further, in Pakistan Kashmir is referred to ‘Azad Kashmir’ which translates to ‘free Kashmir’ indicating how the Pakistan occupied region has its own administration and rights as an independent state.

The flag of Indian administered ‘Jammu and Kashmir’ which was the state flag from 1952-2019 until the revocation article 370.

Global economy

From a geopolitical standpoint, Kashmir is vital as well. Kashmir serves as a bridge between South Asia and Central Asia. For India, it is the only direct route to Central Asia and through Central Asia to Europe. It plays a key role in the Belt and Road initiative. More importantly, it is key for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Further, Kashmir is a central piece between three nuclear nations: India, Pakistan and China. At the moment, of the original territory of Kashmir, India has control over roughly 55% of the total area, Pakistan controls 30% of the land and China controls 15% of it.

Revocation of article 370

On the 5th August 2019, the parliament of India announced the revocation of article 370 of the constitution which grants Jammu and Kashmir special status. 

‘’The revocation of Article 370 extends to a key provision added under it, known as Article 35A. This gives special privileges to permanent residents, including state government jobs and the exclusive right to own property in Jammu and Kashmir. It is intended to protect the state’s distinct demographic character as the only Muslim-majority state in India. Others, including the BJP, view it as discriminatory against non-Muslims and harming development. It was introduced in its current form in 1954 but a similar law was in place prior to Indian independence in 1947.’’ (Lunn, 2019)1

This led to increased militarisation of the area and the imposition of a state-wide curfew and lockdown making it difficult to investigate what was happening on the ground. Certainly, this invoked a very strong international reaction particularly with Pakistan. Whilst India claimed it was an internal matter, Pakistan considered it an international issue and pushes to resolve it in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions. Imran Khan addressed the potential threat of a nuclear war between India and Pakistan following the imposition of a lockdown in Indian occupied Kashmir at the UN.

The violation of human rights and war crimes in the occupied valley comes after the breach of self-determination of Kashmiris by the Modi government.

Map of Kashmir

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10537286

In Conclusion…

Given such importance of Kashmir to both India and Pakistan, it seems difficult to see an end to the dispute which has lasted decades. Kashmir embodies the idea of shared history, language, and culture divided by a border in its most literal and painful sense. Thus, it is a shame to recognise that despite being such a beautiful, culturally and geographically rich region, it is plagued by geopolitical challenges and militarisation. Yet, it is undeniably crucial to recognise that the Kashmiri people are tired of the decades of conflict and violence. Regardless of what india and Pakistan want individually for their own benefits, the justice of the state itself must be recognised. On one hand, there are constant attacks by insurgent groups and terrorist organizations. On the other, there is an increased presence of military troops. Additionally, there are various reports of human rights violations by these troops. Many Kashmiri people want an end to this constant violence by all the groups present and increasingly, more Kashmiris are in support of the referendum that was supposed to have taken place during the partition. Consequently, there is an increasing number of people in support of an independent Kashmir.

(Lunn, 2019) Kashmir: the effects of revoking Article 370 https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/kashmir-the-effects-of-revoking-article-370/

South Asia and Air Pollution: The Overlooked Opponent 

Nahidah Khan (KCL IPDF Associate Content Director (Blog), KCL Geography)

Among the top 30 cities with the poorest air quality in 2016, 17 are located in South Asia. The consequences of air pollution transcend environmental restrictions, with it now also concerning health and wealth in South Asia. A “brown cloud’’, caused by pollution from carbon aerosols, appear in satellite images of atmospheric haze over South Asia. A common effect of this phenomenon is decreased rainfall and drop in temperature. Evidently, this would lead to a decreased crop yield inevitably hurting the agriculture sector as well as subsistence farmers by affecting both income and/or well-being of those who farm.

Aside from impact on health & wealth, black carbon particles present in air pollution also pose a threat to the South Asian climate. This is as they could alter precipitation patterns and the Himalayan glacier system, which could affect the region’s water resources. This has a direct impact on the welfare of the population as a polluted water source will lead to severe health problems as well as agricultural difficulties.

Even though, black carbon emissions from vehicles and industrial facilities are among the highest in South Asia, with even rural areas contributing to air pollution through the millions that cook over wood or coal fires, the governments do not want to slow economic growth and lose human capital. Thus, there are no serious measures taken in place to help alleviate problems rather half-hearted policies that are ineffective are passed to appease those who stand up against them.

The World Bank’s definition of Human Capital is the ‘earnings over a person’s lifetime.’ The South Asian continent suffers from tremendous loss of human capital as a result of air pollution. In fact, it experiences the most damage, according to the recent ‘Changing Wealth of Nations 2021′ report by the World Bank1, in comparison to the rest of the world. One way in which the damage to human capital can be seen in through health metrics. Between all risk factors for ill health in South Asia, air pollution contributes as the second most prominent with between 13.3% and 21.7% of deaths as a consequence. An effect on a population’s health has a direct correlation to the nation’s wealth as it relates to a functioning working force. The more people that are of poor health, the more that are not able to function at a high ability in the workforce.

Loss of Per Capita Human Capital Because of Premature Deaths
Attributable to Air Pollution, by Region, 2018 –
taken from the ‘Changing Wealth of Nations 2021’ report

The aforementioned report comprises of the wealth creation and distribution as measured in 146 countries over a period of two decades. This means that there is a high level of validity as it takes into account a high sample size of data and does not only use data extracted from one region of the globe. It also considers long term trends by analysing statistics from the prior 20 years.

In 2018, human capital was the largest source of worldwide wealth, encompassing 64% of total 2018 global wealth. The report stated “Middle-income countries increased their investment in human capital and in turn, saw significant increases in their share of global human capital wealth” This human capital was of course at the cost of the air pollution that engulfed the regions. In the short term, governments may believe that the pollution crisis doesn’t take importance over the need for economic growth. However, they fail to consider how the environment can affect the country’s wealth. 

Human capital in South Asia accounts for 50% of the region’s wealth but air pollution has seemingly taken a toll on this noteworthy wealth generator. The report did not quantify a human capital loss (due to air pollution) for any other world region, suggesting that the air pollution in South Asia is particularly bad and incomparable.

South Asia as a whole has improved its wealth since 1995 but still, its ‘per capita’ wealth is among the lowest in the world. This is as proportional wealth takes into account the simultaneous population growth in the same time period. Low-income countries’ share in global wealth is below 1%, an amount which has stayed the same for decades despite these countries accounting for 8% of the world’s population. The difference between the two figures highlights the disparity between South Asia and the rest of the world – something that air pollution highly exacerbates. 

Overall, it is the policy makers who are really to blame for the continual disregard for environmental air quality in South Asia. Air pollution is affecting the climate, economy and the health of the region but is yet to be taken seriously. If it is not dealt with correctly, the effects could be detrimental.

  1. World Bank. 2021. The Changing Wealth of Nations 2021 : Managing Assets for the Future. Washington, DC: World Bank. © World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/36400.

Letters from IPDF: A Warm Welcome to KCL IPDF 2021/2022!

Madeeha Saher (KCL IPDF Events Officer, KCL Politics, Philosophy and Law)

‘’This year we are incredibly excited to welcome you all back. Despite last year being online and full of challenges we never expected due to the pandemic, we truly had a wonderful time bringing to you a whole host of events from academically stimulating and important issues such as the farmers crisis linked with the Kartarpur corridor, to exploring rights of minorities. As well as that, we successfully had social events with KCL Alumni and were able to expand our blog into integrating a new series ‘Karwan-e-Khayal’. I look forward to this year being even better and fun! We cannot wait for you all to join with this beautiful society and get involved!’’

Message from our 2021/2022 President, Malika Arshad

Since the partition of 1947, which saw India and Pakistan gain independence and become two separate countries, there has been much tension, rivalry and hostility between them. As a result, the Indo-Pak development forum was launched with the following ethos in mind: ‘to discuss the many collective similarities that unite us, and debate the issues that divide us.’ 

In light of our ethos, the IPDF is a space where people can bond over the similarities between India and Pakistan, whilst also embracing the differences between both countries too. Given the rich history, vibrant culture and complex relationship between India and Pakistan, there is always something to discuss, and we encourage open, respectful discussions.

Whilst the IPDF primarily focusses on India and Pakistan, we also believe that it is important to consider the south Asian subcontinent as a whole. Similarly, the IPDF does not restrict itself by associating only with specific religions, languages, regions, etc.  Rather, the IPDF values inclusivity for all- in fact, we are proud to represent the amount of diversity that South Asia has to offer!

Social Events

IPDF social events are a great way to meet new people and make amazing friends during your time at university! Last year we hosted quiz nights over zoom which were fun, however this year we anticipate more in person events. Between chatting over a hot cup of chai or eating tasty food, there will undoubtedly be many ways we can bond over South Asian culture soon!

 Academic Events

IPDF is proud to have hosted many successful academic and discussion-based events over the past few years.

Recently, our Kartarpur Corridor event last year was an amazing success, with esteemed guests Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, Professor Gurharpal Singh, and Mustafaen Kamal discussing the significance of the corridor in making the holy Gurdwara Darbar Sahib more accessible to the Sikh community. Furthermore, at our event about minority gender rights, we had the pleasure of Ms Sonal Giani and Ms Jannat Ali talking about their respective personal journeys as minorities, and the sheer adversity they overcame. In previous years, a hugely popular event on Kashmir – which also gained attention from international media- included the President of Azad Kashmir (PoK) discussing human rights abuses, in relation to the revocation of article 370 in India. Alongside this, our ‘Deshon Ki Saqafat’ event, which translates to ‘culture of the countries’, involved discussions from Mr Hamid Mir, Suhasini  Haider and Gurmehar Kaur, regarding journalism and how it is practised in India and Pakistan.

These are a few examples of previous academic events we have held, and we are excited to provide further intriguing and topical events this year!

Our very own blog and journal club!

We also have our very own blog (the one you’re reading right now!) called Bar-E-Saghir Ki Baatein, which means conversations about the South-Asian subcontinent. This is where we write and reflect upon important issues within South Asia, which have included topics such as the farmers’ protests, colourism, Covid-19, police brutality, economic inequality, amongst others.  We also have our journal club called Karwan-E-Khayal, which translates to ‘a caravan of thoughts,’ where everyone is welcome to express any thoughts or opinions they have about a piece of literature read or film watched. We are very excited about this new initiative, that will most certainly expand our cultural horizons!

Our blog and journal club aims to inform, educate and inspire thought-provoking conversations amongst our communities, as this will assist in breaking down any harmful barriers, misconceptions and stigmatisations about sensitive issues that are affecting people today.

Welcome Week Stall and events:

Our President and Digital Marketing Officer at the KCLSU Freshers’ Fair 2021

Our IPDF Freshers’ Fair stall during the Welcome Week was a fantastic opportunity for you to find out more about the society, and to say hi! Fortunately this year, we are able to see you in person, so we are excited to welcome new faces who are as passionate about strengthening Indo-Pak relations as we are! We also have our meet and greet on Friday, 1st October 2021 so stay tuned for more updates on our social media about it!

We are delighted to continue to cherish what unites us over what divides us, and we look forward to seeing you soon!

We’ve recently joined TikTok! Find us at https://www.tiktok.com/@kclipdf

Karwan-E-Khayal – Edition 1: Mitti Bhi Ek Jaise, Bande Bhi Ek Jaise

Malika Arshad (KCL IPDF Events Officer, KCL International Development)

The aim of Karwan-e-Khayal is to function as a ‘Caravan of Thoughts’ and deepen our reflections on content relevant to South Asia. We hope that the resources we provide and share will stir your intellectual and philosophical knowledge around the culture of the subcontinent, the way it does for us. Our aim is to release articles on a bi-weekly basis. Feel free to reach out to us if you would like to collaborate.

‘The soil is the same, the people are the same’

In our first edition of Karwan-E-Khayal, IPDF’s new series, we discuss the 1947 Partition of India and Pakistan and its deeper philosophical implications. Whilst the separation of the two nations physically removed people and reorganised them into new societies, beyond the borders the earth beneath remained the same. The people, culture, language and shared love for the nations remains engrained in the soil regardless of political barriers. Certainly, the nations became divided by British colonial rule and differences began to amplify significantly – causing decades of bloodshed and trauma. Yet the story of Krishna Khanna beautifully explains the spiritual connection people can hold to their home even 70 years after being forced to leave. 

This article reflects on the documentary ‘Going Back to Pakistan: 70 Years After Partition’ created by Al-Jazeera for the 70th anniversary of Indian and Pakistani independence.

You can watch the video on YouTube here. If the link does not work we have referenced it below, at the end of this article.

The mini documentary follows Krishna Khanna, a 92-year-old man who wants to return to Pakistan 70 years after Partition. Having been born in Gujranwala Undivided India (now known as Gujranwala in Pakistan), he recalls his youth in which his family had their home, shops and many friends. Yet they had to flee for their safety when the country was divided into two. Being a Hindu, his family was at risk and saw lots of bloodshed in front of their home. Like many others, this decision to  migrate was not easy but became a reality very quickly.  It was heart wrenching to hear that they expected to be able to return after a few years and left things as they were/ closed their shop for the day – but they never came back. Partition happened in 1947 after the British withdrew from India and the two nations became independent. India became the Hindu majority country and Pakistan became the Muslim majority country. However to this day, a large variety of minorities exist in both countries.

Key Theme 1: Perceptions of Others 

Krishna makes a visit to the school where he used to study. He is surprised to see it changed so much but also moved at the memories.

A student asks him ‘Why do Indian people hate Pakistan so much?’

To which he laughs and responds that the ‘The hatred isn’t between people, it’s between governments’. People cannot hate each other for reasons beyond what they learn about each other. In this case, the propaganda and tensions between the two countries feeds hatred.

This scene presented an interesting parallel between generations (old and new) and nationalities (Indians and Pakistani). The young Pakistani students are themselves fascinated by the old Indian man and why he feels a connection to a land no longer his own. This connection existed precisely because the land is intrinsically connected beyond physical and  political boundaries. Interestingly, he said that people within the nations truly wanted to be closer to one another; yet in practice that does not happen. Certainly as a British Pakistani myself I have never held negative sentiments towards my Indian friends because of their nationality or identity, rather I find myself drawn to them as we hold similar interests and cultural experiences. Therefore such an idea resonated with me – that truly it is the government and political bodies which establish this divide, cutting it deeper into our relationships across the subcontinent.  

Misconceptions and propaganda continuously surround the narrative of each country. In the documentary, we can discern how people of India see Pakistan through the lens of a ‘terrorist’, dangerous country – all of which Krishna also adamantly denies having seen or believing. 

Key Theme 2: Identity and Ownership

Despite his family not being particularly warm toward the idea of him visiting Pakistan, Krishna is adamant that to see the place where he lived for the first 20 years of his life. He recognises Pakistan part of his identity just as much as India.

Another scene presents Krishna visiting what used to be his home. Despite new owners, he feels a connection to the walls, the street and even the desk which he had left. He admires the green wooden desk which has stood as a testament of decay over the decades. Ironically, the desk is older than Pakistan itself. This scene reflected the transcendence of time, of ownership and identity in its simplest form. 

‘The book belongs to the person who reads it, the pen to the one who writes it, the house to the one who lives in it’.

This is a bittersweet line by Krishna which emphasises the importance of the present and valuing what you do in the moment. The house may have been Krishna’s, but does not belong to him anymore. When he left his home, he expected to return soon after and continue working in his father’s shops. Yet after 70 years it is unsurprising that the people had moved on and so had the property. All the friends he knew of that time had either also moved or passed away. Pakistan had evolved and the times had moved forward.

The video ends with Krishna watching TV. The news is of India conducting surgical strikes on Azad Kashmir (PoK) to eliminate terrorism. When he returned to India, people around him had many questions about terrorism in Pakistan – to which he responded that ‘I did not see any’.  Krishna himself reflects on whether it was right to divide India on the basis of religion and whether that ultimately caused harm or good to both countries. Undeniably, the debate is a deeper discussion which must consider the themes of  freedom and prosecution underlying the topic.

Nonetheless, there is a feeling of hope in the documentary. In the midst of a current environment of hatred and resentment, it is refreshing to know that not all harbour negative sentiments towards their neighbours. After all, they were once people of the same street. 

Reference:

Perspectives on the Pandemic: An Indian Doctor’s View

Katyayni Jha (KCL IPDF President, KCL Medicine)

This article is part of a two-part series where we interview doctors based in India and Pakistan to give their unique perspectives on the pandemic in their respective countries.

In today’s article, Katyayni Jha interviews Dr Md Sabah Siddiqui, an Associate Professor specialised in Internal Medicine at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). He has also been in charge of managing COVID-19 patients at his hospital and very graciously put time aside from his duties for this interview.

KJ: I know that you have been working tirelessly at the hospital during the pandemic – could you please describe to us how your experience has been?

MSS: Yes, I have been in charge of planning, setting up and managing the COVID-19 ward at my hospital. Fortunately, at least in tertiary care hospitals, PPE has always been made available by the government. The issue has primarily been with the number of beds – in pre-COVID times, the number of beds we had was already not enough for the number of patients and with the pandemic, that gap has widened and become hugely insufficient for increasing number of coronavirus patients. Now, a number of COVID Care Centres have been arranged in various places outside hospitals and clinics such as stadiums and marriage halls to contain asymptomatic and minimally symptomatic patients as they come from congested houses. Unfortunately, for the very sick patients who need oxygen and ICU beds, the facilities are definitely very less compared to number of patients being admitted every day. And we are yet to see the peak in this part of the country as cases are expected to keep increasing further. What is even more worrisome is the availability, or lack thereof, of doctors and nurses who are capable of handling these COVID-specific ICUs. I believe many doctors are now being maltreated in society as they are seen as someone who will spread the virus to the residential areas they are living in. As a result of this, house helps and caretakers are not willing to work at doctors’ houses, which becomes a problem if both spouses are healthcare workers and there is no one to take care of the children or elderly at home. In most of these cases, one spouse ends up going to duty and the other has to stay at home – reducing the number of healthcare staff that come to hospital while increasing the need for them.

KJ: What are your thoughts on the government’s response to the pandemic?

MSS: Similar to most of the governments across the world, since the beginning of the pandemic, the response was not very clear. The District Administration during the initial phase was working tirelessly in a well-coordinated manner whose example cannot be found in the recent past for any emergency. However, we cannot deny the fact that the Indian infrastructure is not adequate to handle a big healthcare problem like this one. Moreover, since India is a very vast country which is not equal in all parts, structurally and economically, it adds to the burden. As part of their response, government officials have been putting pressure to define and raise the number of dedicated COVID-19 beds in all the tertiary care hospitals. This was being led by bureaucrats rather than those actually involved in healthcare and so the focus was more on numbers and statistics and not the actual reality on the ground. So when the pandemic came to the state I currently work in, only approximately half of the beds were actually useable for managing patients.  

KJ: What are your thoughts on the general public’s attitude towards the pandemic? Do you have any thoughts in particular on the state of migrant workers in the country?

MSS: In India, the general public is heterogeneous, with different priorities for different classes of people. Daily wagers and migrant workers have been hit the hardest since the beginning of the pandemic, and fortunately, this issue has been brought to light in mainstream media and social media. However, there is another class of people, the lower middle class, who had initially thought that the situation would be over in a couple of months. They initially came out to help daily wagers but now, after 5 months of complete and partial lockdown, they have been hit hard and are compelled economically to come out to bazaars and continue with their work (such as those working in retail or supermarkets). With a constantly increasing number of cases, most of them have made up their mind and are ready to take risk of the coronavirus to feed their families by returning to work.

KJ: You mentioned previously that some doctors are maltreated in society due to the attitudes of the people who think of them as ‘virus-spreaders’. We have been seeing for a long time, but more recently so, that doctors are subject to physical violence. What are your thoughts on this?

MSS: The COVID-19 pandemic is a unique situation where, unlike normal times, family members of a patient with the coronavirus are being quarantined as well, with barricading around their home and other relatives and friends being kept a safe distance from them. At the same time, now, police have been involved in shifting patients from their homes to the hospital and vice versa – not really for safety reasons, but because of the insufficient number of healthcare workers for the purpose. In my opinion, violence or physical attacks on healthcare professionals mainly occur if patients’ relatives have assembled in large numbers and someone not from the immediate family is the troublemaker. But this does not mean that people are not dissatisfied – they are sending mails, WhatsApp forwards with complaints of doctors and receiving calls from local political leaders for grievances.

KJ: How have you been coping with pandemic?

MSS: It has been months now and when on COVID duty, we stay in accommodation at the hospital and then quarantine for different periods of time at different hospitals. Staying away from the comforts of home and stress of work definitely makes you very uncomfortable, but there are not many options so it has to be dealt with. Some of my colleagues have it worse; one of them is a single mother with no helpers coming to her house and family members being unable to visit her, since most of the communications are restricted in lockdown. So she would come for her usual (non-COVID) duty after locking her small child at home, the mere thought of which is distressing.

KJ: Do you feel that doctors are appreciated enough? Expanding on a few things talked about in the previous questions, do you feel like doctors get enough respect, or are they unfairly faced with unrealistic expectations?

MSS: I have realised that actually society misplaces its anger for lack of health infrastructure, blaming doctors rather than policy makers. As mentioned previously, there are numerous examples of people having fear of the misconception that doctors would spread the virus to them. On a more positive note, however, many housing societies where doctors’ families stay have also welcomed their return from COVID duties after several weeks. Once a group of people came with homemade cakes and shared them with doctors and others healthcare workers as a token of respect. These are some of the events which tell us about the rather confused response of society towards doctors, and even more confused response to the pandemic in general. I do think that more awareness for the disease is needed, and that in terms of educating the masses on the basic risks of the virus, etc, the government response was simply not enough.

KJ: There has been increasing attention being placed on healthcare inequalities around the world due to the current global movement against racism and discrimination. Have you identified any healthcare inequalities around you or within the system you work in?

MSS: The dynamics of religion and racism are very different here: at a political level, the discrimination on the basis of religion is prevalent but in society, by large, the worst kind of discrimination is due to the divide between the rich and poor, and not really on the basis of religion. Poor people, irrespective of religion and caste, have been the main sufferers because of multiple lockdowns and the effects of the pandemic here. Healthcare, across the globe, is definitely unequal but it is more grossly inadequate for the kind of population we have here in India. And where anything is inadequate, rich and influential people get it at the cost of the poor.

KJ: Do you have any advice for future medical students? Or any comments regarding coping with a possible pandemic in the future?

MSS: This answer to this question will be very different for different parts of the globe. For India, the pressure is enormous on the doctors of future and the challenges are innumerable. Despite having the brains, the resources and technological exposure here is less, and this divide is not going to be bridged anytime soon – which adds to the other challenges of working during a pandemic. A new pandemic will bring new challenges; and unfortunately, governments are always trying to spend less and less on healthcare infrastructure, which only adds pressure to those of us working in healthcare.

KJ: Thank you for answering my questions in such detail. Do you have any general comments or conclusive remarks?

MSS: During dangerous crises like the present one, a good response is in one part involving scientists and healthcare professionals, but effective interpretation, communication, and public-outreach is another crucial and indispensable part. We could have used social media for information and awareness, but on the contrary it has been used to spread misinformation. That being said, efforts put forward at the individual level have been heroic – which makes me believe that if we collectively and cautiously work together in such times, we can definitely overcome a pandemic like this one (and hopefully the ones in the future).

Dr Md Sabah Siddiqui is not affiliated with KCL IPDF and all the views stated in this article are his.

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