News: Joint India-Pakistan celebrations 'way to reunion'?

Excerpts from GulfNews.com:

Joint India-Pakistan celebrations 'way to reunion'
By Binsal Abdul Kader, Staff ReporterLast updated: August 15, 2007, 23:48
Abu Dhabi: Many Indian and Pakistani expatriates expressed their wish to have joint Independence Day celebrations here as they share a common culture.
Pakistani driver Saeed Maktoum Hussain said common Independence Day celebrations here can be a first step towards reuniting the people.
"Here Indians and Pakistanis work together and cooperate in all fields of life. Why can't we have common celebrations? Religion has never been a barrier in relationships as I have got many Hindu and Sikh friends from India," said Hussain.
Hussain said the cooperation should be not only between India and Pakistan but Bangladesh also.
Cooperation
An Indian, Anil Pakale, who is an active member of a community organisation 'Maharashtra Mandal', echoed the same feeling.
"My Pakistani colleagues are my best friends and religion has never been a barrier in our friendship. If people can be friends, both the countries can work together and can do wonders in economy and industrial sectors, as well as cricket. Common independence day celebrations here can be a first step towards that goal," said Pakale.
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Zahid Ahad, a Pakistani safety manager, said people from the two countries have to look at the positive sides of the relationship instead of political differences. "I don't understand why two communities hesitate to join together here?" said Zahid.

Divided by nationality, united by love and family
By Sunita Menon, Staff ReporterPublished: August 15, 2007, 23:36
Dubai: An Indian accountant finds it a bit difficult to meet his relatives in Pakistan. Their reunion takes place in Dubai.
"There are no hassles when we meet in Dubai," said Ghanshyam Rochiram Kundani, 55, who had last been to Pakistan in 1984 on an invitation from his cousins who live in Sindh.
"Before partition in 1947 we were landowners. I just had one glimpse of the grand ancestral home of 17 rooms owned by my grandfather while I was there. My father used to tell us a lot about the house. My father along with my grandfather migrated to India after partition," said Kundani.
"They landed at the gateway of India in Mumbai and sustained the family by selling match boxes and textile on the roads," he said.
He is not alone, scores of Indians and Pakistanis meet here.
Vikram from India and Sara from Lahore in Pakistan have made their home here. It took them three long years to convince their parents and get all the necessary paperwork processed to get married at the Indian consulate in Dubai.