Frontline
February 1999
Ethos

Friend from Pakistan

I would like to share a personal experience that gives a new perspective on the humanity that resists the efforts to spread the com munal virus in our midst today.

I had my pocket picked a few days ago (February 4) in Delhi, as I boarded a Bombay–bound train. Unaware, I calmly set my luggage down and settled into my novel. Two hours into the journey, the tickets were checked and I suddenly realised that I had neither ticket nor a single rupee nor, indeed, any identification.

The ticket collector decided to give me a bit more time to locate my ticket. Panic–stricken, I emphasised that my name was on the list. I showed a letter and my diary as evidence of my name. I tried to understand what would happen to me if I could not come up with the ticket. I was told that I would either have to buy a new ticket or simply get off the train.

Earlier, I had overheard one of the passengers say that he was from Bombay and headed that way. I now dug out my watch and tape recorder and asked the fellow if I could possibly borrow the money from him against my valuables which I would collect when I returned the money to him. He shrugged. Others averted their eyes from me.

Then, a young man leaned over and proffered a fifty–rupee note. I was effusive in my thanks and asked him for his name and address so that I might return the money to him. He looked a little shy and said that it might not be possible since he was from Pakistan. Anyway, he went on, he did not want the money back. If I helped the next person I met in a similar situation, that would be sufficient. His companion, also from Pakistan, offered me another fifty and asked only that I ask blessings for him from my God.

The Indian co–travellers, impressed by this show of compassion, promised to help me fight with the ticket collector.

When the ticket collector returned, I gave him the 100 rupees and offered him my valuables. The ticket still had to be bought. The same Pakistani man now decided that he would simply buy the ticket for me. At that time money came in from many of the other travellers as well, though my friend from Karachi took the bulk of the burden.

I left the train the next day having been fed and taken care of, having returned an extra 100 rupees with great difficulty, and having pleaded to get everyone’s name and address.

I also left elated and warmed by the spirit of human kindness. Kindness and compassion that knows no boundaries of nation and religion. There can be no better demonstration of how very wrong the communal fascists are. Pakistani people are not only rhetorically our sisters and brothers, they can really be so if we can all simply relate to each other as humans.

My new friend, Parvez Ahmed, is a living antidote to the virus of hatred and separation.

Please send this e–mail message to your friends, tell people this story and resist the attempts to spread bigotry.

Sanjay Anand

e–mail: [email protected]
C1–1587 Vasant Kunj
New Delhi 110 070
(The above message has been picked up from the internet, courtesy Harsh Kapoor, [email protected])


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