Nope. European countries don't have the 'same ideologies' unless you, in some simplisting terms, think that ultimately most believe in Jesus as their Savior. That is a far less Common Denominator than that between India and Pakistan. Europeans have fought the bloodiest recorded wars in the 20th century alone for entire human history and that should be an eye opener for anyone claiming the 'no disputes' bon-homies.
Half of each European country (except Turkey) are Christian the other half are athiests. Again same ideologies, same beliefs.
Pakistan is over-whelming Muslim majority, India is over-whelming Hindu majority. Religion always played an importan role in those two countries. Even today millions of people in India support RSS and Bjp, while Pakistan likes being a Muslim majority country.
I am fairly aware of the India-Pakistan (or, more specifically, Hindu-Muslim rift) that spans hundreds of years. There have been conflicts during a great many years of Hindu-Muslim co-existence in the Sub-continent. But I also know that had it been the Chinese into the mix of the Sub-continent--as if thrown into the mix from the sky-- then the conflict would have been even greater.
Are you kidding? Pakistan and China have absolutely no problems with each other. There's over 10,000 Chinese citizens in Pakistan.. no Pakistani has a problem with them. They are treated well in Pakistan. China and Pakistan are VERY friendly neighbors.
India and Pakistan relations are horrible. Even before partition there were fights between Muslims and Sikhs/Hindus... ask an Indian Punjabi how many Muslims are left in India's part of Punjab. Ferozpur was once a Muslim majority district, now its in India's part of Punjab hardly any Muslim is left there. Also all the wars Pakistan fought with India. All the Pakistani lives lost during partition and the wars with India will not be forgotten.
Again, nothing to take away from China. I salute them for their progress and for their perseverence. And I genuinely wish them well. But--and this particular 'but' does not negate what I just say above--Pakistan is not helped enough by China to put all its eggs in China's basket. For all the copy/pasting you have done I can probably copy/paste a lot more what the 'evil West' has been doing in trade/commerce with Pakistan--so much more more than the Chinese enterprise in Pakistan would dwarf to a midget scale--I should really find Dr. Saleem's article. And this is not just me saying this: All those who are involved in the new strategic balance in and around Pakistan since 9/11 are aware of it.
Chinese dig in as foreigners leave Pakistan
QUETTA, Pakistan – China, rather than have its workers in Pakistan join the exodus of foreigners who are quitting the strife-torn country because of security concerns, the dismal state of the economy or both, is increasing its involvement there and planning further projects.
The number of Chinese engineers working in Pakistan has surged to 10,000 this year from 3,000 in 2008, working on 120 projects in different sectors of the economy. China is also involved in a 750-kilometer railway linking the two countries, from Havellian to the 4,730-meter-high Khunjerab Pass in Gilgit-Baltistan, the area until recently known as the Northern Areas. Havellian is linked with the rest of the rail network in Pakistan, and the Chinese will lay track within its territory up to Khunjerab.
Analysts say that China is increasingly interesting in investing in Gilgit-Baltistan, shifting its focus from insurgency-hit Balochistan in Pakistan’s southwest, where China is already involved in large development projects including Gwadar port. A proposed Pakistan-China energy and trade corridor, involving gas and oil pipelines and a rail link, would start in Gwadar and enter China’s Xinjiang region after running through the Gilgit-Baltistan region.
Some 767 development projects are to be carried out in Gilgit-Baltistan this year, with a particular focus and the help of China on the power sector to harness the huge hydro-power potential of the region.
China’s determination to maintain its interest in Pakistan was underlined recently by Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Lou Zhaohui, who told the media in Islamabad, “A number of foreigners [have] left Pakistan, but we are committed to complete all the projects on which Chinese are working.”
China has expressed satisfaction over the security being provided to its nationals in Pakistan, where the Chinese embassy has a joint task force with the interior ministry and has a 24-hour hotline.
Beijing has already given US$1 billion in two tranches to boost Pakistan’s foreign reserves, which last week reached a two-year high at $14.31 billion. The reserves have also been strengthened by a $1.2 billion installment from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), part of a larger payment agreed last November.
“Pakistan is the only country in the world to which China has given such a huge amount on very low interest rate,” Zhaohui said.
The two countries have agreed to cooperate in modernizing and strengthening existing Pakistan Railways tracks and converting them to meet international standards. During a recent visit to China, Pakistan’s Railways Minister Haji Ghulam Ahmed Bilour agreed with his Chinese counterpart Liu Zhijun to establish a consortium for the work. China is to send its experts to assist in feasibility studies for the railways projects, which would be carried out on a build-own-operate basis.
China has also shown interest in early laying a track between the Pakistan border town of Torkham and Jalalabad in Afghanistan, as the Chinese want to use the Pakistan Railways network to transport their goods and equipment for the development of copper mines and various other projects in Afghanistan. Separately, Pakistan Railways has completed a feasibility study for a rail section between Chaman, in Balochistan, and Kandahar in Afghanistan that is part of a proposed link across Afghanistan to Turkmenistan.
In a further indication of the close involvement of China in Pakistan’s railway upgrading, the executive committe of Pakistan’s National Economic Council last week approved the import of 202 rail coaches from China at a cost of 15.9 billion Pakistan rupees ($191 million).
Chinese dig in as foreigners leave Pakistan | PK on web
Let's not drag Pakistan to a ruin because of some ideological reasons. Once Kashmir is settled, a Pakistani will be far more likely 'at home' in N. Delhi than in Beijing. And that is not a trivial point.
Thats if India cooperates with Pakistan in settling the Kashmir dispute.
And there are thousands of Pakistani citizens in China, hardly any Pakistani citizen goes to India. Oh yes I forgot about the Pakistanis who visited India..one was Khalid Mahmood, a Pakistani cricket fan who went to India to watch a cricket match...well his dead tortured body was returned to Pakistan from India and a Pakistani girl who got beaten up in a mall by some Indians because of her tattoo.
No thanks..I'll take China's side over India ANY DAY!
But we have to realize that China is our neighbor and best relations start here. Also, China has backed us diplomatically several times in tough situations, something we miss a lot from the West.
