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On World Peace Day, a new song shows friendship transcends Pakistan-India ire

On World Peace Day, a new song shows friendship transcends Pakistan-India ire

‘Na Rokay Koi,' sung by Ali Aftab Saeed, gels well with a sweet video directed by him and Aarti Shrivastava
21 Sep, 2015

This International Peace Day, singer Ali Aftab Saeed and Indian filmmaker Aarti Shrivastava have worked together to bring to us a new anthem of Pak-India friendship, titled ‘Na Rokay Koi’.

Through this musical medium, Ali and Aarti have told a simple story of two college friends who parted ways to return to their home countries.

But a wedding convinces Zahra, the friend from Pakistan, to reunite with her Indian friend. Leaving a note for her father, she packs up and heads out to the other side of the border.

Zahra receives a warm welcome in Amritsar, and goes to the site of Jalianwala Bagh massacre as well as a Gurdwara where an elderly Sikh helps her cover her head with a handkerchief. The simple lyrics written by Shakeel Sohail talk about the many similarities between the two nations:

Sochon k angan me deewar dekhi hai

Apni he parchai us paar dekhi hai

Who dhoop who kirnen, who rung phoolon k

Apne se lagte hain who raag sanson k

Inko na rokay koi

Inko koi na rokay

The song ends on a jovial note when Zahra finally gets to see her friend dressed up as a bride.

In light of the recent skirmishes on the border, it's heartening to see Pakistani and Indian artistes making a combined effort for peace.

Comments

Harmony-1 Sep 21, 2015 05:00pm
It seems, if it is left to people, making friendship is easier and as shown by Vasant Davé in his recent article about his trip to Pakistan, than doing it through our so-called elected representatives.
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SAEED PK Sep 21, 2015 05:12pm
When you are free spend some times at the gate of both countries at border you will see how similarities with Indian and Pakistani people and its land. We don't have wings like birds to fly and move every where you want but restricted. Instead of hate speeches every day we should spread peace and love the only way forward.
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Somnath Sep 21, 2015 05:32pm
I really feel bad when I look at India and Pakistan. They are brothers but they are fighting for a piece of land. They do not recognise what they have lost. Bhaiyon ab bas bhi karo. Khatam karo ladai jhagde. I really do not want to see you guys fight. The fight for ego can never end.Give up your ego listen to what people are saying - 'stop fighting' solve your problems and live peacefully. India and Pakistan are lands of immense potential, please do not waste it.
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suresh nayak Sep 21, 2015 05:34pm
Beautiful is the word to describe this. Long live India Pakistan.
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Peace Mongerer Sep 21, 2015 05:59pm
Beautiful lines. Kudos to efforts done by peace mongerers on both sides. I feel the definition of heroes has to be changed across all civilizations. Heroes should not be the ones who were military commanders and conquerors. Those people were heroes for some and villain for others. Heroes should be the peace mongerors who defeated their enemy by making it his friend. Men like Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Martin King Luther are heroes for entire humanity, so are the makers of this song!
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M.Saeed Sep 21, 2015 06:01pm
I believe a very simple method of solving K-issue is in moving forward in small and sure steps. The first essential step would be on agreeing for and signing a "5 years moratorium" agreement between the two nations and making use of the period in developing the two respective K-areas. After 5 years, things would themselves decide the further course on healthy note.
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Satt Sep 21, 2015 06:13pm
But India and Pakistan is two different countries,India was divided in India and Pakistan in 1947 so if something is divided means two things are different.There is no reason to see similarities.Why Pakistani's doesn't make such videos with Bengalis,they were part of Pakistan before 1972.
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Curious mind Sep 21, 2015 06:16pm
Omg, it made me cry.
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Humanity is my religion Sep 21, 2015 06:21pm
Nice song and message from a common man in common man's language. This kind of stuff forces us to think and feel like humans for a while.
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Tariq S Malik Sep 21, 2015 06:21pm
I was born only 15 miles from the border in Lahore . Pakistan experiment came and went .. Not to mention great loss of life and treasure and human suffering. We should all reflect and think what went wrong and who did this to us . We are all Indians first and anything else second .
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msh Sep 21, 2015 06:22pm
Very nice song and video. There is no difference between people. They have same issues, getting life standard better etc. Its the establishments on both sides which have kept the people apart. If a common Pakistani or Indian has a chance to meet each other, they will forget all the enemosity and the poison that has been injected in. We living abroad have the chance to meet people from different nationalities. If one believes in humanity all issues are resolved. A Pakistani from France.
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Gurpreet Singh Sabharwal (USA) Sep 21, 2015 06:47pm
Nice video but it also subtly underlines the tragedy of the two countries. The two girls (Indian & Pakistani) have to become friends thousands of miles away in a foreign country instead of their own.
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sam Sep 21, 2015 06:55pm
This is a blatant attack on the Ideology of Pakistan & the Two nation theory. Why was Pakistan made over the dead bodies of millions if we were so similar?
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Zak Sep 21, 2015 07:09pm
I wish someone could write a song of the subjugated kashmiris yearning for freedom from Indian occupation.. Their blood, gore and guts splattered on the scenic hills and their screams reverbrating in the lush green valleys. It is that , that ' roko s' the step towards friendship of these two different and seperate nations. Until kashmir is resolved, ' hum rokey n ghey'.
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nadeem Sep 21, 2015 07:10pm
it would be nice they have an area at wagah border where the audience can mix with each other buy food etc n crafts...they need to let these ppl mix there..their ancestors were living in same villages before 1947..they will get around well
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Zak Sep 21, 2015 07:11pm
@Somnath there is a solution to your good willed suggestion. India just needs to be honest and sincere and let UN hold plebiscite in kashmir,mpakistan will do the same. The region will be turned for the better. Your wishes will come true.
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Gurpreet Singh Sabharwal (USA) Sep 21, 2015 07:29pm
Nice video but it is also a subtle reminder of the tragedy of the two countries. Despite having so many commonalities, the two girls (Indian & Pakistani) have to become friends in a foreign country thousands of miles away instead of in their own countries, which are right next door.
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M.Saeed Sep 21, 2015 08:17pm
@SAEED PK : Just find some time and see what was the Indian response against Pakistan's initiative of "Aman Ki Asha", just a few days back !
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M.Saeed Sep 21, 2015 08:26pm
@Somnath : You are right but charity starts from one's own home. Just replace the indented feelings of Indians in your post as those of Pakistanis and then read it for your real reaction. It is not difficult. Just replace your name with a Pakistani name, leaving the rest as same.
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Raja Farhat Abbas Sep 21, 2015 09:04pm
@Tariq S Malik This is your opinion and not a fact , I am a Pakistani and I thank God for it .
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peaceful Sep 21, 2015 09:08pm
@Satt there is a need for such efforts in India-Pakistan context bcoz the two armies are ready to fire each other. Pakistanis and banglalis are not preparing to fight. Some say we are similar so should end this hostility and others say we are different so we should stay as we are. But i dont think being similar is a prerequisite to start respecting and loving each other or being different means we need to hate each other. It is important to end hostility and start living in harmony. Stop fighting for land and start a war to win the hearts...
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Sid Sep 21, 2015 09:25pm
While India and Pakistan started together at 1947, over the years we have developed ourselves differently. Its not very very uncommon to see terrible rivalries between brothers, however such rivalries are sometimes not settled very easily. Its my opinion (and its only an opinion at the end of the day), that realistically speaking India and Pakistan never settled because Pakistan GOVT never accepted any hierarchy between the two. Its only in the 90s that India started taking large strides and difference between the two countries became evident. I feel if the gap is large enough, it will make Pakistan GOVT live in its own skin and would stop unnecessarily competing with India in any and every sector. They will have their own unique development policies which may bear fruits. Untill then its going to be love and hate relationship.
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Blogger Sep 21, 2015 09:50pm
ZAK Pakistan should handover the areas under its control to the UN Unless it does that the UN can do nothing
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yagyavalkya Sep 21, 2015 09:54pm
@Satt Even if we are different doesn't mean we have to be enemies.
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Bhupendra Pratap Singh Sep 21, 2015 10:01pm
In 2014, I visited University of Engineering & Technology, Lahore with my wife. We went there by road via Wagah Border. The people, language, food, building architecture every thing was same on bothe side. Most of the people were welcoming. The driver who was with us during our stay was as helping as a family member. I can not forget the experience & want to visit given an opportunity. The wall dividing us should be removed.
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Rob Sep 21, 2015 11:23pm
Beautiful. But as long as the Pakistaniu military-mullah complex owns Pakistan, all this is just wishful thinking.
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citizen Sep 22, 2015 12:09am
Why just Kashmir ? Whole India can be urs n u can be ours too...
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Shahid Akbar Sep 22, 2015 12:49am
Show this video to Moodi.
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Harisingh Sep 22, 2015 12:56am
Beautiful song and video!!
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Roshan ali Mangi Sep 22, 2015 01:03am
India / Pakistan conflicts can not be resolved because of short sited politicians, and of ccourse India has won the freedom after 1000 years ,so she can never take risk to see the Pakistan growing stronger, both are wasting public funds on developing war heads and nuc arsenal . Can any think that out of both countries any one dare to use the nucs, if anyone dares to do ,can you imagine what wester powers are going to do with . As Europeans are moving towards confederation , same way India ,Pakistan ,Bagladesh ,and all sarc countries can do for the prosperity of the people . But India is trying to impose her hegemony. We are rich in resources , manpower and brains,
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Pam's Sep 22, 2015 02:05am
Pakistan is the most beautiful country in the world. What a productive land being watered by five rivers. Being born in Pakistan, I always have childhood memories of my dad and muslim friends living like brothers. Indian subcontinent Muslims and Hindu having same DNA , culture, and way of life should live in modern world where there is no scope of wars. Indian subcontinent can be the richest place in the world, if Pakistan and India should be wise enough to resolve their differences peacefully.
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Bin Adam Sep 22, 2015 02:49am
Even a layman may understand that two next door neighbors even if one of them may be stronger and other weaker will live with hostility and animosity the family members of both can never have peace of mind. This is the responsibility of the Heads of both families to maintain cordial neighborly relations in the larger interest of their family members. But you know there are so many groups of people within the establishments and civilians including the communal and religious hateful, extremists and terrorists who been earning their lavish fortune on the deaths and destruction of peace loving people both sides. Such elements have the remote control of corrupt or incompetent political leaders and whenever their is any progress in the dialogues of peaceful co-existence by carrying out a few incidents of hostility or terrorism they suddenly reverse the entire exercise of friendly neighborly relations. Even a child knows that ,'friendship is better than animosity' and ' the peace is better than hostility'. But if the political leaderships in stead of serving as true reformers and peace maker leaders will continue to give first priority to the convenience of prolonging their reign of Govts by conceding to the whims of the forces of hatred and hostility how could the aspiration of peace loving majority be fulfilled and songs of love and friendship could become a reality?
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Ajmal Sep 22, 2015 07:36am
@Somnath; I can't agree more. There are so much we have in common and of course some differences but the point is we can cherish both as long we live together in peace. Both countries have huge set of challenges economically, socially and millions of people still live in poverty. For God sake, let's not destroy our future by looking at our past, learn from the history of other countries to move on and to make a better world. War never solves problems it always creates problems and we know very well.
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Surinder Sharma Sep 22, 2015 08:05am
Great video. All humanity is one and comes from ONE God.
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Truth Bites Sep 22, 2015 08:11am
Only fools get carried away emotionally who are divorced from realism. The most that can be achieved in India Pakistan relations is neutrality & each going their own way after resolving all issues. We have nothing in common & there was nothing in common. People all over the world eat lasagnas or pizzas but they don't become Italian. For that sake people speak English in Australia & Canada but they are 2 different countries with different systems. The best is resolve the issue & build the iron wall forever.
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BRR Sep 22, 2015 08:13am
good intentions at best, not necessarily good results.
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rajat Sep 22, 2015 08:15am
The tragedy of these countries are that the people who suffers are not the one who wants war. The people who wants war are not the one who suffers.
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rajeev Sep 22, 2015 08:32am
@Zak My dear Zak. Pakistan is supposed to vacate Kashmir as per UN resolution which you never did. So no point harping on that now.
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R khan Sep 22, 2015 08:52am
@sam dear you are absolutely right but not again dead bodies of millions!!!it is high time to reconcile both countries. Let peace be prevailed.
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karam Sep 22, 2015 09:58am
We all are the same beautiful people, same everything. Let's get away with this border, this devide.
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Syed Irfan Ali Sep 22, 2015 10:00am
Very commendable effort.
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G.K Sep 22, 2015 10:07am
@Raja Farhat Abbas Think twice what is different b/w you and Tariq, Genitically, politically , which sports you love, which song you love , which food you like to eat, Literally there is no difference , Other than your forefathers believed in 'Pakistan concept' and Tariq 's didn't beleived. ' Then why bitterness , what happened in 47 is long ago , why can you have friend in Lahore and why not in Amritsar. Yes Pakistanis are different from Indians , But only difference is nationality , only nationality
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Vijay Kumar Sep 22, 2015 11:00am
@Rob Really...................we are yours and you are ours................we are not separate.................agar mujhse mohabbat hai mujhe sab apne gam de do......
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almas mohommad , cuttack, india Sep 22, 2015 11:31am
very true, simple ordinary people ask simple things, if left alone , all would be okay, my dear saeed, i have tried to explain this simple logic to my pakistani friends since 20 years i am in middle east this land was one one from peshawar to dhaka, to kashmir to kerala, it is bound to be similar i hear do you eat chole paratha in morning yes, do you fly kite yes because just 65years bacj there was no boundry, the nishant cinema in bandar road karachi owner was our hindu brother, the badshahi masjidof lahore and jama masjid of delhi was made by shah jahan , i request my pakistani friends to read contemporay history of india since 800 - till 1857 when the 1st war of independance was fought against british, i also request to ready the great bengal famine in 1765 a book by john when the british loaded in ship massive grains to london leaving 10 million to die, please read history , you willgain much knowledge
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Sumaira Sep 22, 2015 11:53am
Beautiful song and video. to me there are two kinds of people in this world. Good people and bad people. So we should love and respect each other beyond any other differences. Read the history about the bond of these two nations before the Britain got in between them. when i was in New York i met a Sikh uncle and he told me how badly he wants to visit Lahore to live his childhood again. that got tears in my eyes. So i think we should grow up now. We are the new generation we don't need our governments to tell us what is right and what is wrong.
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Arslan Sep 22, 2015 01:25pm
Nice song. Have a few Indian friends (spread in many countries), they are alright. They will be decent friends but won't go as far or do as much we Pakistanis would be willing to. 'Limited Friendship' would be best to describe.
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Observer Sep 22, 2015 02:17pm
@Arslan discard your false belief built on the shaky foundations of your life experience. there are billions of indians and almost a billion pakistanis. do you think they are all 'limited friends' think a little bit more
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Syed Nazim Sep 22, 2015 04:35pm
@sam By neglecting modern education Muslims were at a disadvantage position and they wanted protection. British created rift to rule a big country. Partition was created to have peace. If Kashmir case was decided before partition there would have been no wars, by this time the pain of division would have gone and two countries would be living like two brothers. May God wisdom to our leaders. Kashmir issue can be solved if leaders show courage over political greed.
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Somnath Sep 22, 2015 06:08pm
@Zak this again brings us to the chicken and egg problem. I am a human being and I can give you my perspective. Sorry brother, please forgive me if I am wrong but the trajectory these two countries have chosen would never bring them to the same page. I am not getting into which country is right and which country is wrong. Please take my comment as what I feel and what I think. I can't change the perspectives of either of the two countries as I matter minuscule to any one of them. But my only observation is that these countries should stop fighting right now as it is helping no one but hurting ordinary citizens.
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Kaz Sep 23, 2015 02:05am
Every time there is a video like this, some Indians start gushing. Get real! Instead read a Pakistani history textbook to know what is deep rooted.
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danish Sep 23, 2015 02:43am
Good Job
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dheeraj Sep 23, 2015 06:31am
@Raja Farhat Abbas coz we both learnt to hate each other since we were born
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Abdul Malik Sep 23, 2015 08:20am
If only the people of both countries were given a free hand to meet, greet and unite. There would be no border skirmishes or tension; there would be no visa restrictions. But then again, why would the so called elected representatives of India and Pakistan would want this harmony to florish? Why the two militaries want this friendship? Moreover, the west especially America, would always prefer that we have regular tensions because if we unite, Pakistan and India would become an instant world's super and economic power giants.
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