UAE Pakistanis speak about their friendship with Indians

"The relation between Pakistan and India is like that of siblings. You may bicker and fight but when something bad happens in any of the side, everything becomes secondary and we pray, worry, cry and empathise with each other - if not all the majority of us do feel that way." This is how 26-year-old Pakistani national Motia Chand, Dubai resident for 16 years, describes Indo-Pak relations in her words.
"Living in the UAE with different nationalities is very different than living in another country like the UK or the US because those countries are more spread out and you tend to try and look for people of your own nationality. But the UAE is a small place where you are bound to mingle with all nationalities and that's why I have so many Indian friends here, which I would probably never have anywhere in the world. So yes, the UAE has been the bridge that has gotten us all together."
When Motia visits Karachi, which happens twice a year, she often comes across people who have negative things to say about India but she talks them out of it by telling them about her loving Indian friends in the UAE and the beautiful bond she shares with them. "After joining University (Motia studied at AUD) I keep telling my relatives and friends in Pakistan that we (Pakistanis and Indians) are so similar."
As a Pakistani, Motia feels, if there is any other nationality she can connect with best apart from her own then it has to be Indians. "I would advise the younger generation to not have any preconceived notions about Indians or any other nationality for that matter. People are mostly full of love and warmth, meet them, understand them and then form an opinion."
"What I love about Indians is that they celebrate a number of festivals in a grand way and are a vibrant happy lot. Thanks to my Indian friends in Dubai, I get to see the celebration of so many different festivals here, including Diwali and Holi. In Pakistan, it is only Eid that is celebrated on a grand scale," she told Khaleej Times.

It was an Indian who helped me
Komal Aqeel, who has been in the UAE for the last five years, said her very first interaction with an Indian in the UAE completely changed her opinion about the latter. There is usually a negative approach about Indians in Pakistan and that is because of the political situation and media there. "But I was pleasantly surprised when I came to the UAE and was looking for an apartment, then it was an Indian who helped me find one. So I will always remember that it was an Indian who helped me in a new country rather than a Pakistani. And now my best friend is an Indian, who has helped me through thick and thin here. We never discuss about nationality because we feel no different than each other. We love the same movies, same values, have similar mindsets and even our language is so similar. I have no qualms in saying that I love Indians."
Her Indian colleague and friend Umeela Thaseen Khan says her grandfather was settled in Pakistan so she also in some way feels connected to Pakistan. "When I was moving to the UAE, I was told to stay away from Pakistanis as they dislike us. But what I experienced here is so different. Komal and I hangout together, love the same food, enjoy movies together, she has got me so addicted to Pakistani dramas now. Apart from the fact that we were born in different places geographically, I do not feel an iota of difference between my Indian and Pakistani friends (we are a group of four Indians and three Pakistani friends and collegues who hang out together and are inseparable). Whoever holds a different opinion must come to the UAE and see how amicably Indians and Pakistanis stay together."

Living in UAE has changed opinions

Pakistani national Shazia Nabil credits Bollywood for keeping Indians and Pakistanis together. "I have more Indian friends than Pakistanis and I always have a high opinion of Indians and this is all because of living here in the UAE. Because the UAE allows us to live in a peaceful environment without any political hypes and negative media coverage, we are able to realise that people of these two so-called "arch-rivals" are actually friendly and do not want to fight."
Her Indian friend Shabeen Yusuf reiterated: "Indians and Pakistanis live like best friends outside their countries and particularly here in the UAE as there is no politics or greed for power dominating them. Our kids never talk about nationalities nor any kind of divisions. We are blessed to be in the UAE where the only thing our kids are growing up with is acceptance, positivity and love for all."
saman@khaleejtimes.com

Pakistani Komal with her Indian friend Umeela