The Fragmented Subcontinent

Whenever we have a look at the world map we observe that there is a broad and extensive piece of land between Arabian sea and Bay of Bengal in the continent of Asia which is largely extended in the northern side but as we start moving downward this piece of land gets narrowed till it ends in the Indian Ocean. If there would have not been political boundaries of different colors between different political regions on the map, then the three countries of this region would have been looking like a great single country. Perhaps this is the reason geographers have named this region as subcontinent and common people recognize this region by the names of three countries – India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Generally this piece of land has uniformity in its topography and climate, so it is classified as one geographical region. Accordingly different problems and issues of this whole region can be solved only by taking the whole region into consideration. One part of this region is largely dependent on the other for different needs of its population and no part of this region can progress or develop separately without mutual cooperation with other parts. Long before, this whole region was politically known as India but with the passage of time this region got separated into three separate countries due to many socio-cultural, political and religious reasons which were named as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. There are healthy and hardworking people in one part of this sub continent known as Pakistan. It has enough but rare resources of natural gas and large fields for cereal production. Second part of this sub continent, India, is famous for its large geographical extent, production of different mineral resources and its associated industries and is diverse and colorful culture. Third part which is politically named as Bangladesh has one of the world’s best irrigation system which has resulted in its enormous production of jute which has given this part the name of ‘ Golden Country’ in the world. Though politically these three parts of the sub continent are three separate counties but cumulatively this region is bestowed with enormous natural resources and the region has capabilities from producing different raw materials for the whole world to the atom bomb and inter continental missile manufacturing technologies. But the artificial political boundaries and their inter rivalry has restricted the production capabilities of this region and ceased its development.
Though the political boundaries in the fragmented subcontinent cannot be erased so that the three countries may once again integrate but the three nations should live in harmony and mutual cooperation with each other for the economic and social welfare of common people.
When the whole world is becoming a single entity in the form of global village in the present era of science and technology and the waves of globalization have turned the political boundaries as meaningless entities, this part of the world is still a portray of inter rivalry between the nations, where these countries have restricted and banned their inter trade, inter transport system and have become vehement political rivals of each other. Antipathetically their inter relations are worsening with every passing day in spite of developing a peaceful environment for solving their inter political issues. These countries have already wasted their seventy five years of nineteenth and twentieth centuries in mutual rivalry and contretemps which has crippled their economic growth due to wastage and mismanagement of their natural resources but the political leaders of these countries are still playing the game of dirty politics for their personal interests and take no heed for the welfare of their common masses which has increased the hostility between these nations. The world’s geopolitical scenario has changed swiftly in this long span of time. The rivals of yesterday have become the friends of today. Different colonial states have achieved freedom from the clutches of colonialism and dictatorship and become democratic countries. Eastern and Western Germany have forgotten their rivalry and became one nation by burying the wall of Berlin under the. ground which was once symbol of division in Europe. Other countries of Europe have also come close by understanding the power of mutual cooperation. Two great wars of twentieth century were fought in Europe and its worst effects were experienced in the countries of Asia and Africa. But the scenario has changed in European countries and now there is peaceful environment in Europe with no expectation of future wars but Asia and Africa are still lagging behind and have become the battlefields where human bloodshed and violence has become a routine. The subcontinent consisting of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh is a part of continent Asia where many frontier wars have already been fought which have resulted in great human and economic losses. Two among these three countries – India and Pakistan have already achieved nuclear power and have mighty army and ammunition strength, thus a future war between these countries will be a vivid implication of human destruction and devastation in this region. The western nations have engaged these countries in warfare from a long time for their self interest and for the growth of their arms and ammunition market which has ceased the economic growth of this subcontinent. Thus, it is high time that leadership of these countries should solve their political disputes in a friendly manner by creating atmosphere for peaceful talks. Though the political boundaries in the fragmented subcontinent cannot be erased so that the three countries may once again integrate but the three nations should live in harmony and mutual cooperation with each other for the economic and social welfare of common people.
(The author is a member of JKIFTS columnists council . Views are his own)
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