Peace breaks out between India and Pakistan - at the 2018 Asian Games

[Napa]

Palembang, August 25
The diplomatic hostilities make India-Pakistan peace seem like a pipe dream but it does turn into a reality at sporting events like the ongoing Asian Games where athletes from the two countries mingle freely and even cheer for each other.
The Pakistani tennis contingent was there to back Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharma during the men’s doubles semifinals at the Jakabaring Tennis Centre. The top-seeded Indian pair went on to win the gold medal on Friday.

Pakistani players were seen making a beeline for a picture with Bopanna, who reached a Grand Slam final with Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi back in 2010.
The Bopanna-Qureshi pair used to be called the ‘Peace Express’ for never missing a chance to stress on the need for peace between the two nations.

“I have played some of the best tennis of my life in India, made great friends there, especially in Delhi. I remain in constant touch with them. Whenever I played in Delhi, it was like home away from home,” Pakistan tennis veteran Aqil Khan, who won a host of ITF Futures titles in India between 2000 and 2010, told PTI.
“I have also been to Hyderabad, loved the food there. It is exactly what I eat in Karachi. Delhi is the place I miss the most. After matches at DLTA, we used to go out to eat in places like Green Park and South Ex.

“It was as if I were playing in my own city,” said the 38-year-old, whose last of the many memorable visits to India came during the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
Khan is in the twilight of his long career but like him, the Pakistani youngsters, including Muhammad Abid and Muzammil Murtaza, would love to play in India “if they get the visa”.

The same warmth between the athletes of two countries was visible at the shooting range, where India has had a productive campaign so far.
Pistol shooter Ghulam Mustafa Bashir, who qualified for the Rio Olympics, says it is only natural that they get along well with their Indian counterparts.
“There is instant connection with the Indians. We speak the same language so there is not even a language barrier which we might face with shooters of other countries. We are always friendly with each other,” the 31-year-old Bashir told PTI.
He often discusses his game with India pistol coach Jaspal Rana, a four-time gold medallist at the Asian Games.
“We talk about shooting and we talk about other things also,” added Bashir, who is a marine in Pakistan Navy.
But there are times, when one has to be careful, especially in the shooting fraternity.
“Most of the shooters in Pakistan come from the defence forces. We get along well but you have to maintain a distance. Otherwise, there are no issues. I remember going to Karachi once. We were treated very nicely,” said Rana. PTI

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/sport/indo-pak-athletes-make-peace-at-asian-games/642644.html

Also: https://www.dnaindia.com/sports/rep...heered-for-rohan-bopanna-divij-sharma-2654450

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

The message I am taking from this is that the only way Pakistanis and Indians can have peaceful relations is outside of India. No doubt this same experience of camaraderie could be recreated in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka or Nepal, but the one place you could never get all these parties together for a significant international tournament would probably be India.

 

[Napa]

The message I am taking from this is that the only way Pakistanis and Indians can have peaceful relations is outside of India.

Unfortunately that is just human nature. I felt more Indian when I moved to the US, and I believe South Asians feel more South Asians when they are outside South Asia. I have had many good interactions with Pakistani and Bangladeshi vendors during my recent European vacation. Usually speak with them in my fluent Bengali or broken Punjabi.

 

[PakLFC]

I avoid Indian's wherever I am. Have no problems with Bangladeshis, Afghanis and Sri Lankan's. Generally I just don't get on with Indian people. They find me arrogant and I find them very annoying.

 

[JaDed]

I went to Thailand once and some Asian beach games were on and Pak and Indian atheletes were enjoying food together in desi estaurants without issues.

It was also the only games event where Pak had more medals than India disappointing but sad, tbf Thailand beat China by a huge gap also in those games.

Ofcourse why they all were munching unhealthy oily food is beyond me.

 

[CricketCartoons]

My experience with Pakistanis has been bad. They just ignore you and you have to remind them that you have met earlier, as if you don't exist. With Bangladeshis it has been very pleasant. You meet one Bangladeshi bhai, and their entire gang knows about you.

 

[IAJ]

I avoid Indian's wherever I am. Have no problems with Bangladeshis, Afghanis and Sri Lankan's. Generally I just don't get on with Indian people. They find me arrogant and I find them very annoying.

That’s strange. Indians here in Norway are really nice, know a few of them and all of them are sikhs. Don’t know many hindus but don’t think they would have been different.
Maybe when we are living overseas it’s easier to remember what we have in common rather than the differences

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

Aisam is all class. Shame we couldn't provide him with the facilities ..

In an interview Aisam said we have talent in tennis but facilities are almost nil. Not many are as privileged as him to go and train in India from the age of 13.


This guy can do a lot for Pak tennis and upcoming youngsters if he is provided with the tools.

 

[jusarrived]

The message I am taking from this is that the only way Pakistanis and Indians can have peaceful relations is outside of India. No doubt this same experience of camaraderie could be recreated in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka or Nepal, but the one place you could never get all these parties together for a significant international tournament would probably be India.

Read again , may be you will notice what your own players have said about visiting India .

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Read again , may be you will notice what your own players have said about visiting India .

All I am seeing was that the last time they were able to visit was in 2010, since then it seems travel and work in India has become much more difficult for Pakistanis, so maybe they should hold onto those diaries and re-read the entries for a while yet.