It has been over 70 years and tensions between the two neighbours only seem to escalate with time
ISLAMABAD: Cultural exchange is considered to be one of the many ways peace can be achieved between two countries. But in the case of Pakistan and India, it is this exchange of culture that is deliberately being held from occurring. India has banned Pakistani actors from working in Bollywood while Pakistan has banned Indian content from being aired on our channels, in the name of it ‘damaging our culture’.
However, just as poet, lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar had recently said in an interview, “Restricting art in the name of cultural damage is wrong and such things should not happen, neither in Pakistan nor India.”
Despite the fact that airing each other’s shows in one other’s country will help reduce the animosity between the two estranged neighbours, we also cannot rule out the fact that we were once a single country and have a similar culture. So to say that one country’s culture will damage another’s makes little sense, as both of them have a similar yet diverse culture.
It has been over 70 years and tensions between the two neighbours only seem to escalate with time. Sincere efforts need to be made by both governments towards peace and coexistence.
Khalid Anwar
Published in The Express Tribune, January 14th, 2019.
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