What unites India and Pakistan amid floods?

Fazilka (Punjab), Sep 15 (NationPress) - Amid ongoing political frictions between India and Pakistan, the devastating floods affecting both regions of Punjab have sparked unexpected instances of unity and compassion.

India’s Charda (land of the rising sun) is grappling with one of the most severe floods in recent memory, resulting in numerous homes being either submerged or damaged, crops obliterated, and countless families displaced with their livestock lost. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Lehnda (land of the setting sun) has seen over two million individuals affected as floods wreak havoc across the eastern part of the nation.

The division of Punjab during the 1947 partition separated not just the land but also historical Sikh sites integral to the region's heritage. For decades, peace advocates, including the late renowned journalist Kuldeep Nayar from Delhi, collaborated with their Pakistani counterparts to hold annual candlelight vigils at the Attari-Wahga border to jointly commemorate the independence of both nations.

In the face of this current disaster, peace activists and international humanitarian organizations have mobilized on both sides of the border, working alongside government bodies to provide emergency meals, potable water, medical assistance, and temporary shelters.

Influencers, trusts, and NGOs from Baru Sahib in Himachal Pradesh’s Solan district are actively engaged in relief operations in Punjab, visiting affected villages to deliver support and leveraging social media to raise awareness about the calamity primarily caused by the overflowing Ravi River.

In a video shared on Instagram, influencer Raftaar Rai expressed that he was situated near the border of Charda and Lehnda Punjabs. Alongside local youth, he highlighted the devastation beyond the international border fence, filming from Gulaba Bhaini village in Fazilka. He noted that volunteers, Nasser and Bakhar, were supplying food and fodder to the affected areas in Pakistan.

As he collaborated with local youth aiding their communities, Rai mentioned that these young individuals met with volunteers from Pakistan who approached the fence to check on their well-being. Hailing from Mansa and Jaggard villages in Pakistan, they shared videos of their inundated communities. After exchanging thoughts, Rai emphasized that both Charda and Lehnda Punjabs share a profound emotional connection and historical ties, stating, "It is the only fence that divides the people. For the common man like us, we endure the consequences. Those living near the border are often compelled to evacuate their homes, sometimes due to shelling from Pakistan or the rising floodwaters."

Residents assert that even amid tensions between these nuclear-capable nations, their spirits remain high. The 553-km India-Pakistan border traverses six districts in Punjab — Ferozepur, Fazilka, Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, and Amritsar. Reports indicate that 110 km of the border fence has been affected near the zero line, with 90 posts of the Border Security Force (BSF) submerged.

Chanchal Manohar Singh, a Chandigarh-based peace activist, remarked to IANS that this natural disaster has struck both Punjabs. "It is the international charities and NGOs that are striving to rehabilitate individuals in both Punjabs, guided by Guru Nanak’s principles of kirt karo (work), nam japo (worship), and vand cako (charity)," Singh stated, having led 17 delegations to Pakistan and hosted five delegations from there.

Singh, the Chairman of the Society for Promotion of Peace, has called for unrestricted flood relief ‘sewa’ between the two nations. Even sacred locations in Pakistan have been adversely affected, with floodwaters damaging areas around Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib.

Ravi Singh, CEO of an NGO, noted in a post that the flood's impact is more pronounced in Pakistan’s Punjab. "We are dealing with severe flooding in Punjab. On the Indian side, the floods have resulted in extensive damage. However, on the Pakistani side, the destruction is even greater. For us, every individual holds equal importance. We do not distinguish based on religion or faith. In Pakistan’s Punjab, the most affected were those living close to rivers who have lost everything—from their homes to all their possessions," he conveyed in a video message released on Sunday.

Another post stated, "While Charda Panjab faces challenges, the situation in Lehnda Panjab is significantly worse. Our teams are on the ground in Muzaffargarh district, Panjab — Pakistan, rescuing families and providing urgent relief."

Punjabi icon Jazzy B has commended the NGOs for their ongoing ‘sewa’ in the flood-stricken regions of Punjab in both India and Pakistan. In a gesture of goodwill, India has informed Pakistan about a potential flood in the Tawi River approaching its neighboring country, despite the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) being currently suspended after the terrorist incident in Pahalgam in April.

(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)