South Asian Peacemakers

One more Pakistani Vlogger who works hard to bring the world the latest on hundreds of abandoned and some in-use places of worship in his country, is Shahid Shabbir. When he started his Vlog, he looked at the many rich cultural and religious traditions that originated in Pakistan and that survive today. His recent work has focused upon Sikh places of worship in the country. The provinces of Punjab and Bengal weere the ones that split in the main when the British partitioned India and caused bloodshed that saw millions slaughtered, women abducted, and worse. Decades later, old sorrows and hatreds dominate the discourse on either side of the border. Shahid Shabbir's attempts at portraying historical monuments, minorities and their culture as it remains in Pakistan in a positive light, is most welcome as a peacemaking attempt. May he succeed beyond his own dreams!

Sana Amjad is a young lady with a wide range of interests, focusing upon areas of common interest between India and Pakistan, without shying away from contentious topics. Her interviewing technique is very interesting in that she manages to draw people whom she speaks to on screen out of their shells to opine on very complex issues concerning both these countries. It is always refreshing to see this young woman use her very disarming charm to get people to open up about difficult issues. I would think that she makes everyone she talks to revisit their own thoughts later on, as well. Do check her channel out. There's always something worth watching there.

Pakistani actress Bushra Ansari and her poet and writer sister Asma Abbas recently composed and performed a Punjabi rap number seeking peace between India and Pakistan. The song Humsaye Maa Jaye became an instant hit on both sides of the border, in a demonstration of how much ordinary people in both India and Pakistan desire peace. It was also a sad contrast between entrenched power centers on both sides who would prefer a permanent state of hostility and conflict instead. What is good is how much support there is for peace on both sides - as long as this is the case, those who would like otherwise, will find themselves overruled and brushed aside. Hopefully, this will happen sooner rather than later. Thank you, Bushra Sahiba and Asma Sahiba! My sincere respect to you!