Mid-August marks independent days of Pakistan and India, two big countries of South Asia.
Over a million Canadians of South Asians origin reside in Greater Toronto Areas.
On one hand, they share so much with each other but on the other hand they are caught up in sensitive differences as well.
The fellows from my birth place country, Pakistan, are more caught up in identity crises issues based on two nation theory set by Mr. Jinnah in 1947.
That lethal divisive theory was more political than based on ground realities at the time of creation of Pakistan.
This Two Nation Theory claimed to distinct and separate Muslims and Hindus of Sub-continent, resulting a new carved out country known as Pakistan.
But this two nation theory proved wrong in 1947 when almost same number of Muslims preferred staying in India rather than moving to Pakistan. Also major Muslim leaders at the time opposed two nation theory and the creation of Pakistan as well.
Two nation theory again proved wrong in 1971 when Bengali Muslims decided to separate their country Bangladesh from Pakistan due to mass murders of Bengalis in the hand of Pakistan army.
Similarly, Baloch separatists are fighting with Pakistan state for a long to seek their independence since they claim that Pakistan annexed Balochistan by violating international laws.
Such are not hidden facts. Thousands articles and books by progressive Pakistanis have been written in Pakistan and abroad revealing those historic facts but Pakistan's state machinery, their self-claimed patriotic media and writers-journalists trained in that particular mindset deny all those facts. Eventually, ordinary men and women of Pakistani origin deny those facts too.
Based on that denial, we find that tension here in Canada too. In the past, Pakistan's former acting Consul General called Indians terrorists.
Another dispute, Kashmir issue is top sensitive issue between two countries.
Kashmir is the most top agenda of Pakistan army and Pakistan's diplomat offices including Canada.
Sadly, Kashmir issue is being used here in Canada by Pakistani establishment too.
Kashmir issue used by Pakistani establishment in Toronto would create quite a rift between people of Pakistani and India origin in Canada as well, which should not be appreciable.
Eventually, progressive Canadians of Pakistani origin would disagree with Pakistani establishment' act here and they would be called traitors again.
Another issue in Pakistan is about human rights abuses with minorities, particularly Christians in Pakistan.
Pakistani Christian Community in Canada, under the banner of their organization, International Christian Voice, holds an annual remembrance on August 11th, which is marked as a Minority Day in Pakistan.
The head of this organization, Peter Bhatti, held Pakistan minority remembrance day in Brampton this August too.
MP Raj Grewal and Pakistan's new Consul General in Toronto, Imran Siddiqui, were amongst the speakers in that event.
Both said routine formal stuff about minorities' rights.
However, some progressive Pakistani speakers emphasized in that seminar that Pakistani patriots are not just those who draw their salaries from Pakistan government or those who's mindset is to deny historic facts and realities about Pakistan rather those Pakistanis are more patriotic to Pakistan who appreciate historic facts, condemn human rights abuses in Pakistan and condemn any jihad related activities by the state that disrupt peace in the region.