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India and Pakistan celebrated its 60th anniversary of independence from British rule today with parades, gun salutes, and speeches. The anniversary sees both countries at important crossroads in their histories.
Sixty years ago, the departing British split the subcontinent in one of the most violent upheavals of the 20th century. In one of history’s largest mass migrations, about 10 million people moved across borders, splitting the subcontinent into Muslim Pakistan and Hindu-majority India. Riots and fighting surrounded the partition. Even the fasting and pleas for peace by Mohandas Gandhi were of little avail. In the end, an estimated 200,000 to over 1 million were dead from the bloodshed.
In marking the 60th anniversary of independence, the rivalry between the two countries is finally mellowing. Even though mutual animosity still lingers, their focus is less on each other and more on their own aspirations and problems.
Pakistan, a nation of 160 million people, has found itself amidst a violent struggle between moderates and Islamic extremists. Pakistan’s president, General Pervez Musharraf, last week toyed with imposing an emergency rule.
Across the border in India, the story was different. India, with a population of 1 billion, is racing to become an economic powerhouse. Growth in the country has been fast and has transformed the country, hoping to regain itself as a great economic power. Additionally, India has had fair and free elections for decades. Many of its people, however, are being left behind. Indian children are more likely to be malnourished than African ones.
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